WORLDS COLLIDE
by EspadaNumber4
Summary: In the wake of the Winter War, the Soul Society finally fills it's vacant captain positions, just in time to meet a new threat.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own bleach or any of its characters, nor do I make any money from this. This fic is purely recreational.**

**This fic takes place after the winter war, while the soul society is enjoying an overdue but shortlived peace.**

**A/N:So this is my first fic, it's a yaoi mostly Ichi/Renji, but there are other pairings as well. Please review, any feedback or criticism will be greatly appreciated. Hope you like.**

Chapter One

"Roar Zabimaru!" was the only warning Ichigo received. He sensed the blade rushing towards him before he even had time to look up. He sidestepped the attack with little effort, and then drew Zangetsu. Ichigo turned and faced Renji Abarai.

"Isn't it customary to warn your opponent before attacking?" he called to his friend, dodging another of Renji's attacks.

"What fun would that be? " Renji replied, retracting his blade. Zabimaru was a large sword with wicked hooks protruding from it. The blade was extremely powerful, and Renji knew how to use it. Fortunately for Ichigo, once extended, there weren't many options, and his red haired friend was nothing if not predictable.

"Fun huh? You sure you're not just trying to get in a cheap shot so you actually have a chance at winning?" Ichigo raised his blade and took a battle stance.

"Oh, you're gonna get it." Renji yelled as he charged, sword first, at the smaller of the two. Ichigo knew better than to block the attack. Renji was all power, no finesse. All Ichigo had to do was dodge and counter. Just before Renji's blade could make contact, Ichigo flash stepped out of the way. Before Renji had a chance to recover, Zangetsu was pressed against his throat.

"I'm gonna get it am I? Seems like you're all talk vice captain." His opponent flash stepped out of harms way with surprising speed. He was getting better and better with each passing day. The man was six feet two inches, and two-hundred pounds of muscle. His blood red hair and black tribal tattoos gave him a sinister appearance. The first time the two crossed blades, Ichigo was more than a little intimidated. If it weren't for the severity of the situation, he may not have found the strength to defeat such a fearsome opponent.

"Don't taunt me Kurosaki!" the man responded while flash stepping through the small clearing with impressive speed. "The fight isn't over yet!" Zabimaru shot toward Ichigo. Renji's handsome face darkened, an evil smirk widening across it as the blade soared through the air. Ichigo flash stepped out of the sword's path, then lunged, full speed, at his opponent. Zabimaru contracted, lightning fast, and guarded against Ichigo's attack.

Ichigo darted past his opponent, then came back in from another direction only to zoom past the vice-captain. He came at Renji from every conceivable direction, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Finally he flashed into the air and swung his blade down on the unsuspecting vice-captain below.

"Hado number 31. Shakkaho!" Ichigo had no time to react. The gargantuan fireball collided with his chest and exploded on impact. He found himself on the ground, the soft grass doing nothing to break his fall. He tried to stand, but found he couldn't. Renji's foot was bearing down on his chest, Zabimaru mere inches above the substitute soul reaper's head.

"Since when can you use kido?" Ichigo groaned.

"I've been practicing. There are 3 Captain positions open you know. Why do you think I've been training with you so much lately?" he said lending a hand to his friend. Ichigo took his hand and with a little help, rose to his feet. Ichigo stumbled slightly, balancing himself on Renji's shoulders. He looked up into Renji's eyes. His stomach tightened slightly. For a few moments he lingered. What was this feeling?

"It is kind of strange that the positions are still vacant." He said, taking a step back.

"As far as I know, Ikkaku and I are the only ones to achieve bankai, and hardly anyone knows about his."

Just as Renji got the words out, a Hell Butterfly passed overhead.

"Attention. All Vice Captains and Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki are to report to the 1st division headquarters immediately."

"Wonder what that's about." Renji murmured. "Come on."

The two were the last to arrive. Renji hurried over to Captain Kuchiki. Ichigo didn't exactly know where to stand, he positioned himself across from the head of the group. Something was wrong. Soi Fon, Kuchiki, Komamura, Kyoraku, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Kurutsuchi, and Ukitake were all present, but where was old man Yama? Standing at the head of the group, where the old man should have been was, Captain Unohana.

"Well everyone seems to present." Unohana said softly.

"What's going on Captain Unohana? Where's Head Captain Yamamoto?" Rangiku Matsumoto, Lieutenant of squad 10 spoke up.

"As some of you may know, Head Captain Yamamoto fell ill several days ago. Despite my best efforts-"

"Surely you don't mean…"Renji cut her off.

"Head Captain Yamamoto is dead." She finished.

**A/N: Ok, so it's a little short, the next few chapters will be quite a bit longer. Don't be surprised by a few roster changes. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ichigo stared at her for a moment. He wanted to be angry, to argue his disbelief, but words wouldn't come. He knew she wasn't lying. He knew the most powerful man in the soul society was dead. The halls of the division were eerily quiet. The silence was crushing.

"There are a few changes to be instituted immediately." Unohana's soft voice broke the silence. "After much discussion between the captains and myself, it was decided that I would assume the mantle of Captain Commander of the 13 Court Guard Squads. Isane Kotetsu, having achieved Bankai, will be taking over my duties as captain of the fourth division."

Ichigo looked over to Isane, she seemed to have already been informed. She stared blankly ahead. Nearly every other vice captain wore expressions of shock and disbelief at the proclamation. Ichigo honestly didn't know how he felt about the situation. He didn't know very much about Kotetsu. Had she really achieved Bankai?

"During this time of transition the 13 Court Guard Squads will need to be at their strongest. As such, the positions are to be filled as follows." All three positions were going to be filled? Ichigo wondered who the candidates were. Renji, Ikaku, and he himself, were the only ones he knew of to reach Bankai. Ikaku wouldn't leave squad 11 under any circumstances, and he was a substitute soul reaper, therefore ineligible. "Squad five will be lead by Renji Abarai. Rukia Kuchiki will be his lieutenant." Not particularly shocking. Ichigo gave the redhead a congratulatory smile. "Squad nine will be lead by Izuru Kira, vice-captain Shuhei will remain the lieutenant." Whoah! Kira reached Bankai? When? His shikai was devastating enough; Ichigo could only imagine how dangerous his Bankai would be. "Finally, squad three is to be lead by Ichigo Kurosaki."

"What!" Ichigo and Renji both exclaimed simultaneously.

"Every new captain has received no less than 6 recommendations by fellow captains, as there wasn't time for a captain's exam. All decisions are final." Unohana said warmly.

"I have a life in the world of the living. My friends, my family, I can't give all that up and live here full-time." Ichigo protested.

"Ichigo, you have proven yourself an ally of the soul society time and time again. Your reatsu and fighting prowess are at a level beyond some of our current captains. The seireitai needs your strength during this transition. You will of course be granted unrestricted travel between the soul society and the world of the living. You will however be held to the same standard as every other captain. Your responsibilities are many." Her serene expression and tone belied her crippling intensity.

"Do I even have a choice?" Ichigo asked with a sigh.

"Of course not." She greeted his reluctant acceptance with a smile.

"And my vice-captain?" he inquired.

"In such a brief time, we weren't able to find you a suitable lieutenant. Some one will be appointed shortly." Ichigo found himself slightly disappointed. So he'd have to face an entire division singlehandedly.

"If there are no more objections, you may use the rest of the day to settle into your new quarters. You are to assume your new posts tomorrow. Dismissed."

Ichigo found himself standing outside the 3rd division headquarters several hours later. The structure paled in comparison to the squad 11 or 12 buildings, but it was still massive. He was now responsible for everyone and everything inside this building. He was filled with both awe and anxiety at the thought of the task. Realizing that he'd been standing in the courtyard for a few minutes, he approached the colossal doors leading in.

"Good afternoon Captain." The man behind the door called. The doors opened for Ichigo within moments.

"Good afternoon…" Ichigo had never seen the man before.

"Hiroshi Hamada sir." He looked about Ichigo's age. He was a full foot shorter and had shaggy brown hair. His eyes were more striking than anything else about his appearance. They were a dull brown, only notable because of the immense brightness contained within them. His eyes held a joy that contradicted his stiff appearance and speech.

"Well, keep up the good work Hiroshi." Ichigo said brightly with a warm smile. Some of the kid's cheeriness had warmed Ichigo's spirits and firmed his resolve.

"Yes sir." Hiroshi hurriedly closed the door behind his captain and resumed his post. Ichigo headed down the hall wondering how news of his recently attained rank had spread so quickly.

It took Ichigo a few minutes to find his way to the captains' office. Upon entering he found Izuru Kira holding a large box.

"Oh, hey Kira."

"Ichigo," the man responded solemnly. "I'll be out of your way in a minute, just gathering the last of my belongings."

"Take your time. I was actually wondering if I could talk to you about something."

"Oh?" Kira responded, removing the last few trinkets from the desk, leaving only a vase of flowers.

"Well I'm not exactly sure what I've gotten myself into honestly. I've never been in a squad, much less lead one. I guess I could just use some advice." He said with a nervous laugh. Kira set his box down on the desk.

"You've got nothing to worry about. The entire division is overjoyed at the thought of finally having a captain. The fact that it's the infamous Ichigo Kurosaki is just icing on the cake."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better or worse? I have no idea how to lead them Kira."

"There's no right or wrong way of doing this. You just have to do what you feel is right. It is, after all, your squad. Do you see these flowers?" he gestured to the Marigolds on the desk. "The marigold is the symbol of the 3rd division. It represents the despair that adversity and war bring. If I had any advice, it would be to remember this, the burden of leading a division is heavy, but the rewards are great."

For the first time Ichigo noticed the great sadness in Izuru's eyes. He was heartbroken about the loss of his squad, and here he was asking for advice. "Kira…"

"Take care of them for me, Captain Kurosaki." He said, picking the box up from the desk. He made his way to the door, but paused once there.

"I will, Captain Kira." Ichigo swore. Without another word, Kira left. Ichigo looked around his barren office and found that the conversation had robbed him of his newfound cheer.

That night Ichigo found himself at Renji's place. Rukia joined the two and Renji made dinner for the three of them. After eating, Rukia headed home to the Kuchiki manor. Ichigo stayed behind. As Renji began to wash the dishes Ichigo came up behind him and ran water to begin rinsing.

"I didn't ask for any help, Kurosaki." Renji said irritation in his voice. Ichigo grabbed a freshly washed plate and rinsed it, setting it on the dish rack to dry.

"I'm not a free loader. You've been spending so much time in Urahara's shop that I think that he may be rubbing off on you. I won't have you calling me a moocher."

"Whatever!" Renji said, his cheeks flushing as red as his hair. "How are you feeling about tomorrow?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I'm not sure. Excited…Terrified." Ichigo sighed. "I'm not sure I'm ready." He admitted, taking a dish from Renji and rinsing it off.

"I know what you mean. Captain Kuchiki wouldn't give me any words of advice. All he told me was if I embarrassed him, he would make me regret it." Ichigo couldn't help but laugh at this. "It's not funny, he'll run me through with Senbonzakura and not even think twice about it." This only made Ichigo laugh harder. He began to gasp for air and clutch his stomach. "I'm gonna kick your ass if you keep laughing at me strawberry!" the redhead exclaimed.

"Oh man," Ichigo said, finally getting a hold on himself, "thanks Renji, I really needed that."

"You're such a dick." Renji growled through clenched teeth.

"I know." Ichigo replied taking another dish from Renji, this time their hands brushing slightly. The contact seemed electric, sending shockwaves up Ichigo's arm. He nearly dropped the plate. He felt the warm rush of blood to his face. He hadn't noticed how close he was standing to his friend. He could smell the musky sweetness of Renji's cologne.

Had Renji always smelled so good? Ichigo couldn't help but notice the redheads handsome features, his muscular build, his broad shoulders and long muscular arms, his impressive pecks and well defined abs. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder what Renji looked like beneath his clothes. The flush in his cheeks spread throughout his body as arousal tingled its way through him.

"What are you thinking about?" Renji asked.

"There is one thing that gives me comfort when I think about leading my squad." Ichigo responded.

"What's that?" Renji asked.

"How much worse you'll be doing with yours." Ichigo barely got the words out before he began laughing again. Renji punched him in the shoulder. Ichigo pretended like it didn't hurt. The two made short work of the remaining dishes. Afterwards, Renji invited Ichigo to stay the night in the guest room. Ichigo, having no place else to go, accepted.

He stared up at the ceiling, wondering just how long he'd been in love with Renji, and why he'd only realized it tonight. It wasn't long before sleep took him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Renji woke Ichigo unbearably early the next morning.

"What time is it?" he asked fighting back a yawn.

"5:00" Renji replied

"What time are we supposed to be at work?"

"5:45."

"Damn, that sucks."

"Pretty much." Renji said before leaving the room. Ichigo reluctantly got up and stumbled his way to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and taking a steamy shower he felt much more awake. Returning to the guest room, he put on a fresh Shihakusho and slid his new haori over his shoulders, not bothering to put his arms through the sleeves. Once dressed, he headed to the kitchen where Renji had prepared toast and cereal for breakfast.

"These early mornings are gonna be a pain in the ass." Ichigo murmured taking a bite of cereal.

"You'll get used to it." Renji responded. "Today should be an easy day. Meet everyone, do some paperwork, maybe give a speech."

"Doesn't sound too difficult."

"Nope." After a few minutes of eating, Renji broke the silence. "Well we should probably head out. Don't want to be late on our first day." Renji said after drinking the last of the milk from his bowl. Ichigo looked up at him and couldn't contain his grin. "What?" Renji asked, noting Ichigo's sudden change in expression.

"You've got a milk moustache." The squad 3 captain said with a chuckle. Renji wiped his mouth with a napkin and rose from the table.

"We really should get going. If I know Rukia, She's already there." Ichigo hurriedly took the last bite of cereal and chugged his milk before handing Renji his bowl.

"Yes sir, Captain Abarai sir." Ichigo said with a faux salute. Renji grinned.

"I like the sound of that."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Ichigo made it to the gates of the third division, he recognized a large pair of cheery eyes peering at him through the gate. The door swung wide open for him just as he arrived at it.

"Good morning Captain." A familiar voice called from beyond the threshold.

"Good morning Hiroshi." Ichigo gave the young man a warm smile. It wasn't until he crossed the gateway that he noticed about 200 soul reapers standing in neat files in the courtyard. "Um… what's going on?"

"Lieutenant Kinjo called a meeting in the courtyard." Hiroshi eagerly chimed in.

"I have a lieutenant?" Ichigo noticed a man with a lieutenant's badge strapped to his shoulder standing in front of the group. The man seemed a few years older than Ichigo, though in the soul society age was pretty much impossible to discern. He stood a few inches shorter than Ichigo and was oddly thin. Thick, black, waves of hair stopped just above his eyes, which were hidden behind a pair of glasses. Instead of the standard Shihakusho, he was wearing form fitting black pants, a white sash around his waist, and a sleeveless, low cut, black top, similar to what Captain Soi Fon wore beneath her haori. The most interest thing about him was, unlike the other 200 people in the courtyard, this vice-captain Kinjo did not carry a Zanbato. The man caught Ichigo's gaze.

"Captain Kurosaki." In the blink of an eye, the vice-captain flash stepped the fifty foot distance between the two of them. Ichigo hadn't even noticed the man had moved until he spoke. His hand was extended. "I am Vice-captain Akira Kinjo, your new lieutenant."

"It's a pleasure." Ichigo responded shaking his hand. "I wasn't aware that I'd been appointed a lieutenant."

"I received news of my transfer just yesterday. Captain Commander Unohana moves quite quickly." His voice was calm, almost controlled. The sun reflected off the lenses of his glasses. Ichigo couldn't see the man's eyes.

"Transfer?"

"From the Kido Corps."

"Well…" Ichigo didn't know what to say. The Kido Corps, that was one of the 2 branches that worked alongside the 13 Court Guard Squads. Ichigo knew very little about the corps, but he didn't imagine they were particularly strong combatants.

"Not what you expected Captain Kurosaki?" he asked, his expression unreadable.

"Well no, not exactly." Ichigo admitted.

"Maybe a demonstration of my abilities would assure you of my qualification as your lieutenant, a sparring match perhaps."

"I won't fight an unarmed man." Ichigo stated plainly.

"It's true that I don't have a Zanbato, but Kido is my weapon of choice. I'm always well armed. En Garde Captain! Byakurai!" Akira raised a finger and a bolt of blue lightning rocketed towards Ichigo. Zangetsu was drawn and guarding Ichigo before the attack could reach the halfway mark. The bolt collided with explosive force, but was blocked rather easily.

"That amount of force in such a low level hado is a testament to your power, but did you really think that you could defeat me with byakurai?"

"I'm just getting warmed up Captain." A smirk slipped through his guarded expression. "Shakkaho! Sokatsui! Soren Sokatsui!" Three beams of blue fire and a massive fireball all hurtled towards Ichigo.

"Getsuga Tensho." Ichigo swung Zangetsu into a large crescent. A bright blue arc of spiritual energy soared from the large blade's tip and sliced through the oncoming hado, effectively negating each attack. The getsuga continued to fly towards the attacker.

"Bakudo 81, Danku!" Akira summoned a rectangular barrier just in time to prevent the getsuga from harming him.

"Use an incantation." Ichigo suggested, attempting to get a rise out of his opponent. Akira's features remained expressionless, his eyes indiscernible beneath his glasses. When he spoke his voice was serene.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the castle. Hado number 63, Raikoho!" The sky gave a thunderous crack! A massive wave of golden energy came rushing down from the heavens.

"Tensa Zangetsu." In a fraction of a second and with a release of immense spiritual pressure, Zangetsu morphed into an ebony katana. Ichogo's Shihakusho was replaced by a long black trench coat, his haori hanging loosely over each shoulder, just as it had been before. "Getsuga Tensho." A black and red getsuga arced gracefully skyward and cleanly cleaved through the wave of golden energy, causing it to dissipate.

"Shunko!" Akira moved so quickly, that Ichigo may not have had time to dodge if he hadn't released his Bankai. Akira flash stepped behind Ichigo. A swirling current of black energy encompassed his hands and feet. In one swift movement, Ichigo turned to face his adversary and sidestepped a punch.

"Stop." Ichigo said before Akira could strike again. "Dispel your Shunko." Ichigo's voice was steel, though he spoke softly. The currents around Akira's hands and feet disappeared. "Our spiritual pressure has been overwhelming the division." He said gesturing towards the soul reapers before them, most of who were short of breath; a few were kneeling from exhaustion. "I've only seen two other people perform Shunko. Your Kido and Hoho are at an exceptional level."

"Thank you Captain." Akira bowed slightly at the praise. "You are even more powerful than I had expected. I hoped that my Raikoho would require you to hollify."

"It takes a little more than that to warrant hollification."

"So it seems." Akira said, sliding his glasses up a millimeter.

"Is everyone alright?" Ichigo asked returning his attention to the division. There were a few nods and one or two murmurs of affirmation. "I'm gonna need you guys to do better than that. I asked if you were alright!" Ichigo yelled with a grin.

"Yes Captain!" the division yelled back.

"That's more like it. I hope you guys enjoyed the show, because it's time to get to work."

XXXXXXXXXX

Later that day, Ichigo found himself inside his office, staring at the marigolds Captain Kira had left on his desk. He wondered how the fight with Akira would have played out if he hadn't cut it short. He knew he had done the right thing, but he couldn't help but wonder. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Lt. Kinjo entered the office. "What can I help you with Akira?" Ichigo asked.

"I wanted to thank you for indulging me this morning. The test of strength was more for my benefit than yours. I'm the new guy, today's my first day in the Court Guard Squads. I wanted to make an impression." He admitted. In the soft lighting of the office, Ichigo could finally see past the lenses and into Akira's eyes. The deep blue orbs revealed a kind heart, and a sense of purity in the vice-captain.

"Well it was a pleasure. Nothing starts the day quite like a sparring match."

"If there's anything you need, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks, I'll hold you to that. Today was my first day in the Court Guard Squads as well. I've still got a lot to learn about what it means to be a Captain. You actually gave me my first lesson."

"What lesson was that?"

"Always put the squad first." When Ichigo said this, Akira blushed slightly.

"Glad to be of service Captain."

"When it's just the two of us, you can call me Ichigo."

"Ok, Ichigo."

"If there isn't anything else, I should probably get a jump on this paperwork."

"Of course." Akira headed toward the door.

"Akira," the lieutenant turned. "That was quite an impression you made. Good work." Ichigo said with a smile.

"Thanks Ichigo." The vice captain said before leaving the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

That night Ichigo met Rukia and Renji at a local pub. They'd all abandoned their uniforms in favor of more casual attire. Renji raised his shot of warm sake in a toast.

"To our promotions."

"To the end of day one." Rukia said with a sigh.

"To old man Yamamoto." Ichigo said raising his glass. The three glasses clinked and Ichigo took the shot. It burned its way down his throat and warmed his belly.

"So what happened this morning? We could feel your reatsu all the way from division five." Rukia asked while pouring herself another shot.

"My vice-captain and I had a sparring match." Ichigo replied nonchalantly.

"That reatsu came from a lieutenant?" Renji cried in disbelief.

"Yeah, he's pretty bad ass. Unohana had him transferred from the Kido Corps. He's been a big help so far, the division seems pretty enthused." Ichigo said while pouring himself another shot and taking a small sip from the glass.

"Our division definitely isn't enthused." Renji griped.

"That's because you've been scaring the living shit out of them." Rukia stated dryly.

"Well how was I supposed to know we'd get a division full of weaklings? I mean wasn't Aizen their last Captain. You'd think that they would know something about combat." Renji sighed and took another shot. "They don't have to like me, they just have to improve. If Byakuya taught me anything, it was that."

"That's so depressing." Ichigo said with a chuckle.

"They like me." Rukia put in. Just then an attractive man walked up and asked her to dance. She took another shot and allowed herself to be led to the dance floor. She looked amazing. She wore her hair down, pearls around her neck, and a silky black dress. It was strange that Ichigo hadn't noticed her enticing appearance earlier.

When Ichigo turned back to Renji he knew why he hadn't. The squad five captain was wearing a silk shirt the same blood red as his hair. He'd managed to squeeze into a pair of black leather pants that left little to the imagination. His long red locks were tied back in a black bandana.

"What are you thinking about?" Renji asked.

"You." Ichigo admitted.

"Yeah?" he grinned.

"You look good tonight." Ichigo didn't know where that came from. He'd had too much to drink.

"Strawberry," Renji said catching Ichigo's gaze. "you always look good." Ichigo blushed and looked away. When he looked back Renji was still staring at him. The man's leg pressed against Ichigo's from under the table.

"We're drunk." Ichigo said, catching himself leaning across the table.

"Yes we are." Renji said meeting the other captain halfway and pressing his lips against those of his best friend.

Okay, so we've finally got some yaoi action, expect some more in the next chapter, but nothing too graphic yet. Thanks to everyone following my story. Please review. Nothing makes an author happier than a review. Merry Chrismukkah and Happy New Year.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, that M rating starts to come into play this chapter. LEMON LEMON LEMON. Brace yourself for IchiRen smut, because that's what 95% of this chapter is. Also Renji's POV begins to be expressed from this chapter on. Enjoy. **

Chapter 4

Ichigo woke the next morning. He wasn't sure where he was at first, but when he saw Zangetsu leaning against a nearby dresser with Zabimaru inches away he realized there was only one place he could be. He was laying alone on Renji's oversized bed, clad only in a velvety beige blanket. When he moved to rise there was a dull ache from his backside. _What the Hell?_ He thought to himself. Had he and Renji…?

"Hey you." Renji said stepping in from the hallway. Ichigo's breath hitched at the sight of the Squad Five Captain. His long blood red hair was loose and slightly mussed. Bold, black tribal tattoos covered the upper half of his body, outlining his halcyon expression, winding across his large muscular arms, broad chest, and down his heavily muscled torso. Catching sight of Renji's flaccid, though impressive, member brought a blush to Ichigo's cheeks. He looked away.

"Am I imagining things or do you have a boner?" Renji asked heading towards the bed. He took a few gulps from the glass of water he was carrying. Ichigo repositioned himself beneath the covers, hiding his erection in the folds. Renji set the glass on a nearby nightstand and climbed onto the bed.

"So I guess we…" Ichigo's voice trailed off.

"You don't remember?" Renji frowned slightly. "Yeah, we went all night. I'm surprised that you woke up." He slid under the covers, his bare legs rubbing against Ichigo's.

"Do you mind if I have a sip of that?" Ichigo asked gesturing towards the water.

"Not at all," Renji replied. "replenishing your fluids is probably a good idea." He passed the glass to the other captain. Ichigo gulped down the rest of the water before handing the glass back to the redhead.

"So, you and I had…" Ichigo hesitated.

"Sex." Renji finished for him.

"Yeah, we had sex, and I blocked it out? Here I was thinking you'd be a good lay." Renji slammed his fist into Ichigo's shoulder so hard the bed shook. "All this time I've wasted pining over you and the sex was so bad that I can't even remember it." Ichigo continued sitting up.

Renji leaned in so close that Ichigo's senses could do nothing but take him in. The sight of his hard, tan skin, the heavy scent of sex and salty sweat, the sound of his slow rhythmic breathing; all of it enveloped Ichigo. Renji's lips smashed into Ichigo's almost violently. His tongue worked its way into Ichigo's mouth, sliding along the carrot tops own.

"Are you going to block this out?" Renji asked breathlessly. Ichigo responded with a soft moan as their lips locked again. Renji climbed atop Ichigo, straddling him, never once breaking lips. He pushed his whole body onto Ichigo's pushing the smaller man into the headboard. Renji cradled Ichigo's face in his hands, flooding the younger man's sense of touch with his tongue, torso, hands, and especially his ass, which was grinding suggestively against Ichigo's erection. "Will you remember this tomorrow?" Renji asked, his voice husky and ragged.

"Yeah." Ichigo said, burying his hands into Renji's scarlet tresses. Ichigo was surprised by how soft they were. Ichigo ran his fingers through Renji's hair, pressing his lips against his friends. He found himself breathless, completely intoxicated by the taste and scent and feel of the man on top of him. Renji reached into the nightstand and pulled a small, black, cylindrical bottle from it. He reached down and coated Ichigo's cock with the lube. He liberally lubed his hole, then positioned Ichigo's erection beneath his entrance.

Ichigo shuddered as Renji slowly slid down the shaft, wincing slightly as he did so. He was very still for a few moments as his body adjusted to the intrusion. Slowly he began rocking his hips from front to back, side to side. Ichigo bit his lip to keep from crying out in pleasure. Renji was so warm, so tight, so perfect.

The redhead braced himself on Ichigo's shoulders and slowly slid up the other captains cock, then back down. Ichigo repositioned his hand along Renji's hips, grabbing on firmly. The redhead picked up the pace, riding Ichigo harder and faster than before. He began to pant, his crimson hair flying in all directions as he pounded his ass onto Ichigo's dick with reckless abandon.

"Does that feel good baby?" Renji moaned. Ichigo was writhing beneath him, his brigh orange hair was ruffled from exertion. Despite his incredible stregnth, Ichigo's body was slender though toned. His pale, milky skin glistened with sweat. His eyes were only half open, as though closing them would elicit more pleasure, yet he couldn't take his eyes off the Squad Five Captain. Renji smirked at the thought. All the muscles in the younger mans body flexed as he thrusted in time with Renji's bouncing. Renji got lost in Ichigo's big brown doe eyes.

"Yeah." Ichigo grunted back. He wrapped a hand around Renji's cock and Renji jacked himself of by gliding up and down on Ichigo's prick. Renji moaned and rammed himself into Ichigo harder. Pleasure coursed its way through Ichigo's groin. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. "I'm getting close." He warned. Renji slowed his movements until hew was merely grinding on Ichigo's member. He kissed his orange haired friend passionately. After a minute the redhead broke the kiss and carefully climbed off of Ichigo.

"Come here." He said. Ichigo leaned up from the headboard and moved toward Renji, kissing him forcefully. Slowly, the redhead turned Ichigo around and pushed him onto his hands and knees, leaving his ass exposed. Ichigo moaned softly as Renji's tongue traced his hole slowly. The larger man flicked and teased the others entrance. He slid his hand between Ichigo's legs and began to stroke his cock. He assaulted Ichigo's hole with his tongue, smirking as his lover trembled with pleasure.

Ichigo gasped as a lubricated finger worked its way into him. Renji waited until he felt Ichigo begin to relax around the first before inserting another. Ichigo moaned as the two fingers caressed his prostate. Renji felt the carrot top stiffen in his hands and began to stroke with renewed vigor.

"Renji…" Ichigo moaned, gasping for breath. "Renji fuck me." Ichigo's voice was hoarse and demanding. After lubing up his member, the redhead obliged, carefully sliding himself into Ichigo. "Renji…" his voice trailed off, but his intentions were made clear by his rocking hips.

"You want it baby?" Renji asked.

"Give it to me." Ichigo commanded.

Renji thrusted in and out of Ichigo, pumping forcefully. He rammed in all the way to the base, sliding back until he was just short of pulling out. He pounded Ichigo's tight hole so hard, that the headboard banged against the wall with a resounding "thump". Ichigo's bubble butt jiggled on impact with Renji's hips, a sight that nearly had the redhead salivating. He slapped Ichigo's ass, which earned him a grunt from his partner. He slapped it again, harder this time. After only a few short minutes, he felt the pressure rising in his crotch. He slowed his pace, gradually pulling out.

"Lay on your back." Renji panted. Ichigo rolled over. Renji grabbed his legs and moved between them, as he positioned himself on top of his friend. Renji reinserted himself, gently making his way in. Ichigo moaned sexily beneath him. Renji rocked back and forth, in and out as Ichigo began jacking himself. Renji felt the pressure building within him once more. He tried to postpone the inevitable, but he found he was no longer in control. He was going to come, and soon.

"I'm so close." Ichigo cried.

"What's my name?" Renji asked.

"Renji…" Ichigo moaned.

"What's my name?" Renji demanded.

"CAPTAIN ABARAI!" Ichigo's ass tightened and his face contorted into an expression of pure pleasure. Semen shot onto his toned stomach, chest, and even his face. Ichigo's tightening hole was enough to send Renji over the edge. He moaned loudly as he came inside of Ichigo. He lingered for a while, then slowly removed himself. He leaned down and kissed Ichigo softly. Renji drifted from the carrot top's lips to his cheek, then neck, then chest and abs, lapping up every drop of cum along the way. Ichigo shifted abruptly as Renji licked his abs.

He kissed his lover again before going to get a towel. When he returned he cleaned the both of them off, and tossed the towel before climbing back onto the bed.

"Black that out." Renji said with a grin.

"Get back at me in a few hours." Ichigo responded. "So what does this mean?"

"Does it have to mean something?" Renji asked.

"Well yeah, I'm not really prone to meaningless sexual encounters."

"I mean maybe we shouldn't rush into anything right away. I like you, and you like me, but we just got new jobs. You've only lived in the Soul Society for a day. I'm just trying to be practical." Renji said laying his head on Ichigo's chest.

"That makes sense, giving each other time to settle into our new roles. This way no one gets hurt unnecessarily." Ichigo found himself absentmindedly playing with Renji's hair.

"Exactly." Renji said with a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you'd take it the wrong way."

"I understand." Ichigo said reassuringly.

"In the meantime we'll just stay friends."

"With benefits." The Squad 3 Captain amended.

"Of course." Renji confirmed with a laugh. He looked at the clock on the nightstand and groaned.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"We have to go to work in an hour."

"I think we can entertain ourselves until then." Renji turned around and saw his lover smiling slyly. He leaned forward and kissed the other captain.

**A/N: Lol. So now that the title couple is seeing each other ( kinda ) the plot of worlds collide is about to kick in. From here on out things will be happening rather quickly. Some of the characters mentioned in the first few chapters who don't seem to have a major role in the story may be getting the ax. Don't say I didn't warn you. Thanks for reading and please review. = )**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own bleach or any of its amazing characters; I'm just a silly fanboy and aspiring writer. **

**A/N: Now, after that raunchy little reprieve, the plot of World's Collide is going to come into play. Expect to see some familiar faces later on. Here we go. ; )**

Chapter 5

Ichigo found himself in the Squad Three courtyard with the rest of his division. It had been a week since his first day and he was breaking his squad into teams. Akira had informed him that the old system left something to be desired, so there they were.

"Ok," Ichigo said, getting the attention of every soul reaper in the division. "effective today, every seated officer in Squad Three is unseated. We're going to be starting from scratch. That means that 18 officer positions just opened up. If you want one," he paused for emphasis. "impress me."

Akira stood silently behind him as Ichigo scoured the men and women of his division. He had learned a few names, but he had no idea who most of these people were.

"By show of hands, how many of you have achieved Shikai?" About a dozen hands went up. "Congratulations, you guys are officers, break ranks and come up here." Ichigo didn't recognize 11 of the faces that lined up in front of him, but a pair of cheery eyes caught his attention just as they always did. Ichigo approached the person at the head of the group, Hiroshi Hamada. "Looks like you won't be guarding the gate anymore, eh Hiroshi?"

"I hope not Captain." The soul reaper replied, enthusiasm bursting out of his eyes despite his collected stance.

"Release your Zanbato." Ichigo directed.

"Carve, Dekai-Ono." Hiroshi reached behind his back and unsheathed his Zanbato. In a flash of white light, the tiny blade transformed into a mighty battle axe, almost twice the size of its wielder. Hiroshi easily lifted the blade and rested it on his shoulder.

"What's Dekai-Ono's special ability?" Ichigo asked, admiring the massive blade.

"He's a thunder type Zanbato and can fire lightning bolts." Hiroshi answered modestly.

"How long can you maintain the release?"

"Right around 4 hours." Hiroshi responded.

"Good, then keep it released." Ichigo went down the line, inquiring about each Zanbato. When he had spoken to all twelve he made his way back to Akira.

He faced the entire division before speaking. "We're going to have a tournament to rank the officers, but I need 8 more fighters, so the eight of you with the strongest spiritual pressure will be seated." He turned to Akira. "Help me out here, my spiritual detection abilities are lacking." The Vice-Captain pushed his glasses up a millimeter and nodded. "On the count of three I want you all to release your spiritual pressure. 1… 2… 3!" Ichigo addressed the division again. He braced himself, but was surprised by the lack of power his squad possessed. He would have to toughen these guys up. Akira pulled 8 people out of ranks and they joined the 12 standing before the division.

Ichigo divided the 20 into groups of 2 and made space for the first two to begin sparring. Hiroshi and an older soul reaper with blond hair faced off.

Despite Dekai-Ono's massive size, Hiroshi swung the blade with amazing speed and accuracy. He also used the axe as a shield to block and deflect oncoming attacks. As Hiroshi continued to attack, Ichigo noticed small sparks of electricity shooting harmlessly from the Zanbato. It was almost as if the blade was charging, much like Ikkaku Madarame's Hozukimaru.

The older looking combatant leapt into the air and brought his sword down with tremendous force. Hiroshi brought the axe up in time to block the attack. Before the attacker had an opportunity to recover from his strike, a lightning bolt zoomed from the axe and collided with him. He fell to the ground, wisps of smoke rose from his unmoving body. Without a moment's hesitation Hiroshi lowered his blade until it hovered inches above his adversaries face.

In an instant Akira was before the two and declaring Hiroshi the victor. The division cheered for the young warrior, he helped his opponent to his feet. As the next two competitors took their positions Ichigo noticed a Hell Butterfly fluttering nearby. The Squad Three Captain extended his index finger and a few moments later, the butterfly was perched on it.

_All Captains are to report to the 1__st__ division for an emergency meeting immediately._ The butterfly conveyed the message telepathically. Ichigo wondered what was up. He turned to Akira who had returned to his position beside him.

"Something the matter Captain?" the Kido expert asked.

"Captains meeting." Ichigo responded. "Take over here, make sure no one gets hurt and fill me in when I get back."

"Yes Captain." Akira said stiffly.

Ichigo Shunpo'd out of the courtyard and headed for the first division.

XXXXXXXXXX

He made it inside and found Captain Commander Unohana speaking quietly with Captain's Kyouraku and Ukitake. The three looked up upon the young captain's arrival. Jushiro and Shunsui took their posts, facing each other on either side of Unohana. Ichigo stood beside the white haired Captain.

"What's this all about?" Ichigo asked Jushiro.

"I'm not exactly sure," Ukitake responded. "must be pretty important though, to summon all of the Captains in the middle of a work day.

"Why is it that I can always feel Squad 3's spiritual pressure from my office in the 5th Division?" a familiar voice called from the doorway. Renji Abarai strutted into the room, followed by Captain Kuchiki.

"Your squad's antics were interrupting our tea." Byakuya said coldly, not even bothering to look at Ichigo. The squad 6 Captain posted up beside Renji who had stopped across from Ichigo.

"Sorry Byakuya, just having tryouts for our officer positions." Ichigo said sheepishly.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Kenpachi Zaraki, Soi Fon, and Isane Kotetsu made their way in over the next several minutes. Shortly thereafter Sajin Komamura and Toshiro Hitsugaya arrived.

"Better late than never, eh Toshiro?" Ichigo joked lightheartedly.

"That's Captain Hitsugaya to you," the small, white haired Captain snapped. "and I would be more timely if I had a lieutenant at the division." He finished frostily.

"Where's Rangiku?" Ichigo asked, genuinely concerned.

"Vice-Captain Matsumoto is in Hueco Mundo with Captain Kira and Vice-Captain Hinamori." Unohana answered softly. "A team has been sent to Hueco Mundo regularly since the fall of Aizen and his Espada. It's been quiet since then, but the team sent last night didn't make it to the rendezvous point on time."

"You want to send in a rescue team." Kyouraku thought aloud.

"Due to the fact that communication to Hueco Mundo is impossible from here I see no other option. I will be sending in an elite offensive unit to find the missing team and bring them back."

"Who do you have in mind?" Kenpachi asked, his eyes gleaming at the thought of returning to Hueco Mundo.

"Captains Kurosaki and Zaraki will lead the mission, Captain Kotetsu will support." Unohana's soft voice echoed through the hall.

"Captain-Commander," Renji spoke up. "I would like to accompany the Captains."

"That won't be necessary Captain Abarai. Three Captains should more than suffice."

"I would also like to go. My lieutenant is one of the missing team members." The worry for Rangiku was evident on Hitsugaya's face.

"Three Captains should more than suffice." Unohana repeated just as gently as she had before, but this time the words were laced with a venom that would put Captain Kurotsuchi's toxins to shame. Toshiro was visibly shaken by Unohana's words. He didn't argue the point.

"When do we head out?" Zaraki asked.

"The rescue team is to meet in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute where Captain Kurotsuchi will open a Garganta. You have one hour to make any necessary preparations. You're dismissed." Unohana finished curtly.

They all made their way out of the meeting hall. Before all of the captain's could disperse, Ichigo caught up with Hitsugaya.

"Toshiro!" Ichigo called out. The pint-sized captain stopped in his tracks and turned to face Ichigo.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" the prodigy exclaimed, his frustration at Ichigo's lack of etiquette showing more than usual. "Address me by my title Kurosaki, I worked very hard to earn it."

"I know Rangiku and Momo are very precious to you." Ichigo ignored his fellow Captains ranting. "I'll do everything I can to keep them safe."

"Matsumoto and Hinamori are both lieutenants and quite capable of handling themselves." Hitsugaya spat coldly. "If there is nothing else, I must return to my squad." With that the tiny captain flash stepped away.

"Ichigo," Renji appeared behind him. "what was that about?" he asked when Ichigo turned to him.

"He's just concerned about Rangiku and Momo, never mind that, since when have you and Byakuya been having tea?"

"We have tea twice a week. He's been pretty cool lately." He noticed Ichigo's scrupulous gaze. "If Captain Kuchiki invited you to tea, would you turn him down?" Renji asked.

"No, I wouldn't." Ichigo said without a moment's hesitation.

"I think he might be starting to see me as a Captain." Renji said with a smile.

"That makes one of us." Ichigo said glumly.

"Cheer up Strawberry, You're about to go to Hueco Mundo. We haven't had a decent fight since you took down Aizen."

"We don't even know what we'll find when we get there. Chances are Rangiku found somewhere to shop and they didn't make it to the rendezvous point on time. Unohana said that it's been quiet for the past few months." Ichigo reasoned.

"Don't be such a downer." Renji griped.

"I'll work on it." Ichigo replied sarcastically. "I should get back to my division, let Akira know what's going on."

"Yeah, Rukia's probably wondering what's up." The larger man conceded.

"See you when I get back." Ichigo said and turned to leave.

"Ichigo." Renji put a hand on his shoulder. When Ichigo turned, he was greeted by his friend and lovers soft lips. The Squad Five Captain wrapped his hands around Ichigo's waist and pulled him close. He held him there and kissed him gingerly. The older soul reaper ran a large calloused hand through Ichigo's mass of thick, orange hair. When their lips finally parted he said, "Be careful.". With that, the redhead flash stepped away. Ichigo hurried to his division.

XXXXXXXXXX

An hour later Ichigo, Isane, and Kenpachi were all standing before Captain Kurotsuchi in the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. A pillar stood on either side of Kurotsuchi, both towering over 12 feet.

Isane Kotetsu looked grim. She seemed tired, though she was determined to maintain an air of professionalism. Kenpachi on the other hand was grinning wickedly, no doubt reminiscing on his last visit to the land of the hollow.

"Once inside the Garganta, we'll need to make a path of spiritual energy. I'm not particularly skilled at manipulating spirit energy." Ichigo informed his teammates.

"Don't look at me." Kenpachi said.

"I'll take care of it." Isane said.

"If the three of you are done wasting my time," The Squad 12 Captain interrupted, "I'll open the portal." He took a moment to compose himself and then raised both of his hands.

"My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the sword that binds reality. The black haired Sheppard is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come and strike down the ibis." As Kurotsuchi finished the incantation and a crack formed in the space between the two pillars. Slowly the crevice opened, revealing a long, dark tunnel that stretched as far as Ichigo could see. A staticy hum accompanied the tear in reality, as if to punctuate its alien nature.

"After you," Ichigo motioned for Captain Kotetsu to take the lead. She leapt into the tunnel and landed on a newly created pathway of snow white spiritual energy. Kenpachi followed right behind her and Ichigo entered the Garganta after them. The tunnel was dark, illuminated from the bright glow of Isane's spiritual pathway. The air was thick and oppressive. Being in the tunnel made Ichigo uneasy, he felt almost claustrophobic in the confines of the Garganta. The three ran along Isane's perfectly smooth pathway for a few minutes before the end of the tunnel was clear. In the distance Ichigo could see a sea of sand bathed in moonlight. When he reached the mouth of the portal, he leapt out, the cool desert air a relief from the stuffiness of the Garganta.

The three landed on the surprisingly soft desert sand. On the horizon Ichigo could see Las Noches, the former home of the Espada, among the tree-like quartz formations. There was no sign of the missing soul reapers, any arrancar, or even lower level hollow.

"Can you sense them?" Ichigo asked Isane.

"This way." She replied, darting away from the castle. "They're fighting." She said harshly, drawing her Zanbato. When Ichigo focused he realized that he could feel the rush of battle somewhere in the distance. The Captains ran for a few miles before they approached a crag in the ground. "Down here." Without hesitation, Kenpachi dropped down the hole, landing with a resounding thud.

"Run Itegumo!" the Squad 4 Captain cried, releasing her Shikai. Her Zanbato began to glow a soft blue-white. 2 small spikes jutted out of the guard and the blade extended several inches, frost streamed from the blade. She jumped down into the crag.

"Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu." Ichigo called just before following the other two Captains. He landed in a crouch and followed Itegumo's faint radiance through the cavern which was lit by the light of the moon, but very little light made it through the canopy of quartz that hovered above. As they progressed through the cavern the sounds of battle became clear. In the distance, Ichigo could see a chamber bathed in moonlight. . He headed for it, running faster now that the destination was in sight. The Captains came upon a large cavity where the missing team could be seen fending off a massive horde of Hollow.

"Growl Haineko!" Rangiku shouted as she raised her Zanbato. The blade eroded into a swirling storm of ash. She swung the hilt of her bladeless sword and the ash enveloped a group of Hollow and collapsed upon itself, shredding the monsters within.

"Snap Tobiume!" Momo exclaimed. As her sword caught fire, jagged prongs erupted from the Zanbato. The flames quickly concentrated at the base of the blade. With a swing of the sword, she launched the fireball into a group of Hollow, who disintegrated on impact. "Shakkaho! Sokatsui! Haien!" Flames and thunder rocketed out of the palm of her outstretched hand as she obliterated a dozen Hollow with a string of Hado.

Kira could barely be seen, flash stepping here and there, slicing through Hollow after Hollow. Kira Struggled with a particularly large hollow and a blindingly bright red glow shined down from the sky. A wretched cry echoed through the night.

"Danku!" Mom cried just in time to shield Kira from a cero. Several more cries ripped through the still desert night. The ground shook from the weight of the approaching Menos Grande.

Ichigo and the others hurried into the chamber to join the fray. A barrage of cero rained from above.

"Momo!" Kira cried. Her skin, usually pale, was flushed from the heat of the battle. At some point during the skirmish her purple hair had come out of its neat bun. Her smoldering sword dipped as she turned to face whatever danger Kira was warning her of, her violet locks blazing as fiery as her Zanbato. Her large brown eyes didn't have time to focus on what was in front of her. A giant claw sliced cleanly through her abdomen. Bright red jets erupted from the young lieutenant's small frame. Tobiume fell to the ground with a reverberating clatter. Momo fell to her knees, her chocolate orbs wide and unfocused. Blood began to pool beneath her when she hit the ground.

"Momo!" Ichigo screamed in rage. He ran full speed towards the lieutenant, only to be stopped in his tracks as yet another crimsn cero fell before him, this one a direct hit on Vice-Captain Hinamori.

XXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: All Hell breaks loose in Hueco Mundo, big surprise. Poor Momo can't seem to catch a break. I love Momo, which is why she was kicking 10 times the ass that Kira and Rangiku were. Hado is so underrated in the Bleach universe… *sigh* Ok, so can Ichigo fend off the multitude of Hollow with the fellow Shinigami? Will Hinamori survive? Will the aforementioned guest appearances be revealed? Stay tuned… please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**`A/N: Ok, I am not unintentionally misspelling Zanpakuto, I'm just using a very Americanized version of the word. Zanbato is the name of a sword, used in feudal Japan and the name of a special blade in the Fire Emblem games to slay cavalry. Zanbato is a word and it's the word I'm choosing to use for the Shinigami weaponry. That being said, there are a few valid grammatical errors, and I will be going back to fix them soon. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and subscribed. I hope you enjoy. = ) **

Chapter 6

When the smoke cleared Ichigo darted to the fallen warrior. Momo Hinamori was barely clinging to life. Her clothing was in tatters, most of it still held in place only because she was on the ground. Blood was seeping from her mouth and pooled beneath her, the harsh coppery scent burned its way through the captain's nostrils. Her eyes, though still moving were impossibly wide and blank, her pupils dilated. She didn't seem to notice Ichigo.

"Momo…" She looked up at him. Ichigo reached out to pick her up, but he thought better of it when he caught sight of the deep wounds on her abdomen. "Kotetsu, Isane help her!" For the briefest of moments Ichigo broke eye contact with the lieutenant. The Squad 4 Captain didn't appear to hear him. Kotetsu and every other Soul Reaper in the chamber were engaged in battle, protecting Ichigo and Momo from the massive swarm of Hollow, still pouring into the cave.

When Ichigo looked back down at the Vice-Captain, her brown eyes were unseeing. Her frail, broken frame was no longer struggling to breathe. A crushing wave of guilt ripped its way through Ichigo. He should have blocked the cero. He should have stopped that Menos Grande from clawing out her stomach. He should have gotten here sooner. He should have protected Momo. A single tear fell down the Squad Three Captain's face.

_The Marigold is the symbol of the third division. It symbolizes despair, the despair that war and death bring._ Kira's voice echoed in his mind.

_"You don't have the strength to pull this off." _The voice came from within Ichigo. He tried to suppress it. "_Those two were done long before you got here, they're just too damn stubborn to admit it." _Ichigo looked over at Kira and Rangiku, they were standing back to back, both panting and obviously exhausted. "_She shouldn't even be on the battlefield." _Isane was already beginning to show signs of fatigue. Sweat covered her brow as she froze a few Hollow and shattered them with a swing of her Zanbato. "_He's the only one of them who belongs on the battlefield. He's like us, he lives for this kind of thing, but how long do you think he'll last after the others fall? An hour? Two? From the looks of it, every Hollow in Hueco Mundo has been sent to attack you." _

"Get out of my head! What do you want from me?" Ichigo yelled in frustration.

"_I want to live, which means I want you to live. I want you to finally accept me and embrace your inner Hollow." _The voice replied.

The Squad Three Captain looked down at Hinamori. He placed a hand on her face and closed her eyes.

"Okay…" he said inaudibly. A spine tingling laugh erupted from within Ichigo's mind. He felt a cold darkness spreading within him as his Soul Reaper powers were overshadowed by his Hollow abilities. The maniacal laughter of the Hollow within echoed through Ichigo's mind as he felt his skin begin to pale and harden into a Hierro. Ichigo didn't resist as he felt the mask beginning to materialize on his face. Large horns sprouted from the sides of his head. Long black claws appeared where his fingers once were. His Shihakusho began to wither away, revealing his bare chest. His short spiky hair extended, stopping at the small of his back. The flesh in the center of his chest began to peel away until a fist-sized hole was present in his chest.

A soft staticy hum, much like the one that was caused by the opening of the Garganta filled the cavern. Using Sonido far beyond the speed of his Flash Step, Ichigo moved to where Kira and Rangiku were holding out. Before anyone had time to even register his presence, he raised and swung Tensa Zangetsu. The slash of his blade released so much spiritual energy that it eradicated a dozen hollow. Two dozen more took the place of the fallen. With another slash of his blade they were all cleaved in two.

A small shriek erupted from behind him. He turned and saw Rangiku staring at him with an expression of utter disbelief.

"Ichigo?" she whispered in shock.

Ignoring the woman, Ichigo made his way to Isane using Sonido. He felt claws raking against his Hierro. Using his free hand he slashed at them with his claw, cutting down two or three hollow with his bare hands. With a thrust of his sword he skewered three hollow through their masks, he cut down the remaining Hollow with a single swing of his Zanbato. Once the Squad Four Captain was relatively safe, Ichigo raced to Kenpachi's side. The giant of a man was hacking violently through Hollow after Hollow. With another easy swing of his blade, Ichigo destroyed another score of Hollow. As more rushed in to fill the void he paused momentarily, noticing that no matter how many he destroyed, they would just keep on coming. The moon-lit chamber was flooding with Hollow, some were raining in from the desert sky above, and others were coming through several tunnels that lead into the room.

Concentrating a massive amount of spiritual energy between the spikes on his head, Ichigo charged a small, red, cero between the horns. Focusing on one of the tunnels, he fired a gargantuan, blood red cero that obliterated every Hollow in its path. The ground quaked as the walls of the cave collapsed; effectively blocking the entrance to the tunnel he was aiming for. The colossal cero followed as Ichigo turned his head, blocking the mouths of the remaining tunnels and destroying every Hollow in between. Ichigo then turned his attention skyward. The Cero stalked his gaze and rose, crashing up the walls of the cavern and blasting into the cool desert air above. When the cero dissipated and the smoke cleared there were no more Hollow falling from the sky and the chamber was empty with the exception of Ichigo and his comrades.

The nearly vacant room was eerily quiet, especially in comparison to the deafening roar of battle that had filled the cavern only moments ago. There was no sound except for the pounding of Ichigo's heart and the soft whistle of the wind. On the sandy surface above Ichigo could see several pairs of eyes looking down at him. Using Sonido, he found himself above ground on the opposite side of the canyon, facing his audience. He moved so fast that he could barely follow what happened. He was operating on pure instinct, and his mind was having trouble keeping up. Ichigo was scared by this, but there was a part of him that reveled in the purity of just reacting, of not planning or thinking the battle through. Several Arrancar stood on the other side of the canyon.

Ichigo counted twelve, none seemed particularly menacing at first glance. A woman stood at the head of the pack. In a flurry of flash steps, Kenpachi, Kotetsu, Kira, and Matsumoto were at Ichigo's side. The female Arrancar smirked at the sight of the Soul Reapers.

"No more blood needs to be spilled this night." The woman said, her voice thick and throaty. "The Soul Society has no business in Hueco Mundo. Leave now and I'll spare your lives." She was a small woman, barely over five feet tall and no more than 100 pounds. Her hair was jet black and cut short, stopping at the nape of her neck. Her face was emotionless, her black eyes revealing nothing.

"Are you the leader here?" Rangiku asked, her voice dangerously level.

"I am Kayko, and yes, I lead the Arrancar and the Hollow who have abandoned the blasphemous decree of the Espada." There was an impressive swell of spiritual pressure. Rangiku's eyes contained a fury that Ichigo wasn't aware her baby blues could express. She raised her Zanbato.

"You will pay for the death of Momo Hinamori."

"You mean that rotting corpse down there?" Kayko asked gesturing toward the cavern below. "Let her death serve as a warning to all of you. Soul Reapers are no longer welcome in Hueco Mundo. Leave now and I shall spare you."

"Growl Haineko!" the sword withered into a swirling storm of ash. In a flash, Kayko darted across the canyon. Before Rangiku had even noticed the movement, Kayko pulled her Zanbato from her sleeve, and was mid-swing. There was a clash of steel. Instinctively, Ichigo had placed himself between the two women. The dagger like Zanbato was pressing against Tensa Zangetsu with extraordinary force.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Kayko said his name, disdain dripping from every syllable. With the staticy distortion of sound that accompanied Sonido and movement so fast Ichigo could hardly track it, the tiny Arrancar was on the other side of the canyon again. His lust for vengeance, for death, compelled him to follow her and take her life. Momo's death demanded retribution, and the Hollow hungered for Kayko's blood. Despite his dark cravings, he was aware that even he couldn't take on a dozen Arrancar and protect his friends. "Still pretending you're not one of us? Even in that form, I can feel you resisting your Hollow urges. I give you one last opportunity to retreat, and never return to Hueco Mundo.

A strong desert breeze whipped through the still night, the only movement on either side of the canyon was the gentle stirring of hair and clothing.

"Cero." A blackness encompassed her eyes. Spiritual energy began to overflow from her now opaque orbs. The cero came rushing out of her eyes. Ichigo raised his Zanbato to defend, but he never got the chance.

"Santen Kesshun I reject!" a familiar voice cried out. A large, transparent orange barrier appeared in the center of the canyon and blocked the cero's blast. The moment he heard her voice, his Hollow mask cracked right down the center. As the pieces fell away his claws and long orange hair began to dissolve. Bright blue energy accumulated before his chest, and with a Bang!, shot through him. Skin appeared where his Hollow hole once resided.

Now in his original form, Ichigo turned and saw Orihime Inoue. She was wearing the uniform the Espada had given her when she was their prisoner. Her long slender arms were outstretched, maintaining the force field. Her long orange hair burned like flames behind her, the rush of her own spiritual pressure causing it to flail this way and that. Her eyes held a resolve that seemed uncharacteristic on the once bubbly girl. Her soft expression was one of strength and determination. She was an angel bathed in moonlight. Behind the girl, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques and Nelliel Tu Odelshcwanck stood, both seemingly uninterested in the events unfolding before them. At the girls side stood Ulquiorra Schiffer, his hands in the pockets of his jacket, his face apathetic, almost bored.

"They've gone." Nel observed, her voice powerful voice echoing through the night. Ichigo turned to see that Kayko and her posse had indeed fled at the sight of the Espada. Orihime's barrier faded into nothingness, revealing only sand dunes and quartz cacti as far as the eye could see. There was a rush of movement behind him. Ichigo turned, prepared to raise his Zanbato at a moments notice. She was standing so close that Ichigo could hardly recognize the person in front of him was Nel. She wrapped her arms around him in an embrace so tight that the air came rushing out of his lungs.

"Ichiiigooo!" She exclaimed pulling him even tighter into her large bosom.

"Nel…Nel…I can't…breathe." Ichigo whimpered. His pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Let him go before you kill him you crazy woman." Grimmjow muttered angrily. Realizing that the man she was hugging had gone limp, Nel let go of Ichigo who promptly fell to the ground. Cool sweet, refreshing air filled his lungs and for a second, the Squad Three Captain rejoiced in that simple fact.

When he rose to his feet, the three Espada and the human girl were mere feet away.

"Ichigo…" Ulquiorra greeted, his voice monotonous as usual.

"Aren't you dead?" Ichigo thought aloud, while taking in the sight of his mortal enemy. He was standing uncomfortably close to Orihime. She didn't seem to notice.

"It seems you aren't as good a killer as you think." Grimmjow said with a smirk.

"I saved both Ulquiorra and Grimmjow after you'd returned to Karakura town to stop Aizen." Orihime said. Her big brown eyes, were soft and cheerful, completely different from the iron-willed look they held when she was defending against Kayko's attack. She stepped toward him and hugged him gently.

"Which one of you Espada wants to taste my blade first?" Kenpachi asked, his voice gleeful at the appearance of worthy opponents.

"The Espada are allies of Ichigo Kurosaki, and by extension the Soul Society." Orihime proclaimed, glaring at the Squad Eleven Captain. "They were being used as pawns by Sosuke Aizen, just like a number of the Gotei 13."

"Since when are you the public defender of Hueco Mundo's most wanted?" Rangiku stepped forward. "That Arrancar beside you abducted you and held you prisoner. The one behind you ran Rukia Kuchiki through with a sword."

"They've both saved my life many times over, and they just saved yours as well." Rangiku had no counter argument. "I've missed you Rangiku. " Orihime said, her tone softening.

"And I you." The Vice-Captain replied, her icy demeanor melting under the warmth of the human girls sincerity

With the appearance of Kayko, then Orihime and the Espada Ichigo had almost forgotten. He flash stepped away from the group and into the canyon below. When he landed in the chamber below, he approached Momo Hinamori's broken body. Reverently, he lifted her in both of his arms. Despite her painful end, she looked peaceful. If not for the jagged tears in her abdomen and the chill of her blood drenched Shihakusho, he could almost believe she was sleeping.

In an instant, he was back above ground. As he approached, every Soul Reaper's expression darkened.

"Momo…" Isane muttered softly. "Isn't it true that you can heal any wound Orhime? Can't you do something?" she asked, though her tone implied she knew she was grasping at straws. The girl approached Momo hesitantly. She closed her eyes and stretched her hand over the fallen warrior's body.

"The spark of life has faded in her… There's nothing I can do." Orihime replied, her voice tinged with regret.

"We need to get back to the Soul Society." Ichigo said softly.

"I can open a Garganta, but-" Ulquiorra started.

"You can all stay in the Squad Three Headquarters with me. While in the Soul Society the three of you will be under my protection." Ichigo interrupted.

"And mine." Kenpachi added. "Any friend of carrot top's is a friend of mine." His gruff, enthusiastic voice broke the melancholy mood. "Well open up the portal. It's time t head home."

Ulquiorra raised a hand. The space before them cracked, black energy from the Garganta spilled into the Hueco Mundo night. The portal opened and the human girl, the three Espada, and the five Soul Reapers, their fallen comrade in tow stepped through it and headed for the Soul Society.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So it's been a little while. I just wanted to mix things up a little this chapter and it took me a bit to get the story flowing. Thanks for reviewing, please continue to and I hope you like. = )**

Chapter Seven

Renji and Rukia were alone in the Fifth Division Headquarters. Both were sitting quietly in Renji's office working on paperwork when Renji suddenly slammed his fist on the desk.

"What's your problem?" Rukia asked, setting down her pen.

"Why do I have to get stuck with a squad of weaklings? Present company excluded." He added after receiving an icy glare from his lieutenant. "I drill them and drill them. I train them on their swordplay, and all they do is disappoint me." The redhead fumed.

"Do you want to tell me what this is really about?" Rukia asked patiently.

"This is about the squad."

"You've been in charge of the squad for a week, how much progress did you expect? This isn't about the division, it's about Ichigo." She had an eerie way of knowing how he was feeling, sometimes before he even knew it. Her piercing blue eyes made it clear that he wasn't going to be able to evade the subject. Despite not being related by blood, she was very much like Byakuya.

"I'm worried about him." Renji admitted.

"Ichigo's more than capable of handling himself." Rukia stated flatly, pushing Renji to the core of his feelings, forcing him to confront the reality he had been trying to avoid.

"I'm not worried that he'll die. I'm just… I have a bad feeling. I'm worried. It's irrational, I know. I just can't help but be concerned. I think… I know… I love him." When he said it out loud it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He'd never realized how much of a burden his feelings had been until he'd gotten them off of his chest. It was like coming up for air.

"It's about damn time you sussed that out." Somehow, without his noticing it, Rukia had left her chair and was standing behind her captain. He turned his head just in time for the young Kuchiki to smack him on the back of it with the palm of her hand. "Now what do you plan on doing about it?" Renji tenderly rubbed the back of his head where a knot was already beginning to form.

"I don't know." He sighed. "Ichigo just got here. He's just settling into his role as a Captain, hell, we both are. I don't want to rush into anything until we're both settled."

"Only you do. You want more."

"Yes, but it's not smart. I don't want to see either of us hurt."

"Well, don't hurt him." Rukia said plainly. He looked up into her unblinking gaze. Her sapphire orbs held a wisdom and serenity well beyond her years. "Ichigo's in love with you too, but all of this is new to him. He hasn't been hurt yet, so his heart is already in your hands. Just don't break it." She said sagely. It was unfathomable to Renji how one minute she could be so hot-headed and aggressive, and the next she was rational and helpful.

"You're right." He said after taking a minute to reflect on what she said.

"Of course I'm right." She replied matter of factly

"Thanks for this Rukia, you're my best friend." She hesitated after he said it, probably biting back some sarcastic remark.

"You too." She said warmly.

The tender moment was interrupted by a seireitei-wide alarm. An automated voice echoed through the barracks.

"Unauthorized Garganta in Squad Three Courtyard. All security personnel report to squad three."

A Garganta? Was Ichigo back? Since when could he open up Garganta's? Renji knew that the Squad Three Captain, had another side that he kept to himself, but he didn't think that his lover was capable of this.

Renji leapt out of his chair. Rukia was already at the door. Damn, she was fast. The redhead rushed after her. A minute later both Captain and Lieutenant had left Squad Five and were in the Squad Three Courtyard where the Garganta was already beginning to open. Captain Soi Fon and the Onmitsukido were already there, Zanbato drawn and prepared for whatever danger was to come. Captains Hitsugaya and Kuchiki were also in the courtyard.

The intruders leapt out of the portal and landed before Soi Fon. Ichigo was at the head of the group, he was carrying someone in his arms, though Renji couldn't see who. Zaraki, Kira, Kotetsu, and Matsumoto were behind him. In the back he recognized Orihime Inoue with three Arrancar.

"Momo…" Rukia whispered softly. The small figure in Ichigo's arms had long purple hair. It wasn't moving and hand no spiritual pressure. Was that Momo?

"Stop right there!" Soi Fon pointed her blade at Ichigo's throat. "You would bring hollows into the seireitei?"

"Captain Soi Fon, Orihime Inoue and the Espada are my guests. So long as they remain on Squad Three grounds and my dominion, they are under my protection. Step aside." His voice seemed strained, as though he was holding back a heavy tide and the flood gates were about to collapse on the Squad Two Captain and her Onmitsukido. She hesitated momentarily, uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

"Get the hell out of the man's way!" Zaraki bellowed. Soi Fon gave him the ugliest of looks, disgust completely unmasked. "Or do you think you can take on all of us with that pathetic band?" She took a moment, apparently reevaluating her situation. In one crisp movement she lowered her blade and sheathed it in the scabbard behind her back.

"This isn't over. I'll be back." There was an edge of hostility in her tone. Renji had no doubt that she would return, and there would be serious consequences for Ichigo's actions. Without any noticeable movement, the woman was gone. Was that Shunpo? She was insanely fast, faster than Captain Kuchiki, maybe even faster than Ichigo. After the departure of their commander, the Onmitsukido dispersed in a flurry of Flash steps, leaving Ichigo's band, Kuchiki, Hitsugaya, Rukia and Renji in the courtyard.

It was quiet for a moment. Hitsugaya stared blankly at Hinamori. Renji couldn't discern his mood or his intentions. His face was impassive. His arms hung limply at his sides, a safe distance from the hilt of Hyorinmaru. Was he in shock?

"Captain…" Rangiku stepped forward. "Captain we did everything we could. We…" her voice trailed off. He hadn't so much as spared her a glance. His eyes were locked on Momo's limp form in Ichigo's arms.

"Toshiro." Ichigo's somber voice broke the silence. This got Hitsugaya's attention. He looked up at the other Captain. For a moment neither moved nor spoke. A tactile tension filled the air. The temperature abruptly dropped and Renji found himself suppressing a shiver. Hitsugaya's expression was no longer vacant. Tears were welling up behind his teal eyes.

"Don't speak to me Ichigo Kurosaki." His voice quivered. Tears fell as he took a step towards the group. "Don't speak to me…" he closed the gap between the two of them. He held out his arms and Ichigo reluctantly placed Momo in the other captain's care. The smaller captain looked down at his old friend. "You were supposed to protect her. You promised."

"I'm sorry Toshiro." Ichigo said, his voice just as broken and labored as Hitsugaya's. Ichigo was crying as well.

"She's my heart." Snow began to fall. Orihime bundled her arms around her chest. She was shivering. "You let my heart die…" Hitsugaya turned on his heels and carried Momo out of the courtyard. Matsumoto followed.

"Ichigo!" Renji ran as fast as he could. He wrapped his arms around the man he loved. He kissed him softly and held him. "Everything's gonna be ok." Renji wasn't sure how true that was, but he said it over and over while Ichigo sobbed.

A few minutes later everyone was inside Ichigo's office. Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo were behind his desk, Orihime and the Espada were seated on the couch by the door, and Byakuya was staring intently out the window. Kira, Kotetsu, and Zaraki had left for their own divisions after Hitsugaya's departure.

"What happened over there?" Rukia asked.

"It was a war zone when we got there. Every Hollow in Hueco Mundo was attacking the Scouting party." Ichigo replied, his voice still shaky.

"But in the past few months, Hueco Mundo's been deserted. Why have the Hollow suddenly reemerged?"

"All of the Hollow have been recruited by an Arrancar by the name of Kayko." Ulquiorra said.

"Recruited for what?" Renji asked.

"We're not sure." Ulquiorra answered monotonously.

"Why the hell not? This is YOUR world we're talking about." Renji's irritation was bubbling over.

"The Espada were never the rulers of Hueco Mundo. With Aizen gone and our numbers depleted we have no hold over the Hollow. This Kayko somehow managed to turn all of the Hollow into an army. It was all we could do to keep them from taking Las Noches, which I'm sure they've done in our absence."

"It seems the mighty Espada have fallen." Renji purred triumphantly.

"Between battling you and Aizens betrayal we've been crippled. The three of us are all that remain."

"The Arrancar aren't eager to fill the positions?" Rukia asked.

"There weren't very many Arrancar to begin with. Aizen created us. We're now an endangered species. The few with the will to fight are with Kayko. It's the three of us against all of Hueco Mundo."

"What's the plan?" Rukia asked turning to Ichigo.

"We go back in and we stop Kayko."

"You can't be serious! This is a Hollow matter and it should be settled among Hollow." Renji exclaimed.

"I am Holow, or at least part Hollow. As much as it pains me to admit it, the Espada saved our lives, and we owe them this at the very least. And Momo…she will be avenged." The room grew tense at the mere mention of the fallen vice-captain. Several inches of snow outside served as a reminder of her death.

Renji, and everyone else in the soul society for that matter, had managed to overlook Ichigo's Hollow abilities. He'd ignored that haunting mask that granted him awesome and frightening power. Up until this point it was clear that his allegiance was with the Soul Reapers, but now he was beginning to ally himself with the Espada. Was this the first step on a slipper and treacherous slope of betrayal, or was Ichigo simply following his heart like he always did? Regardless, Renji was in, but he hoped for both of their sakes that this wouldn't come back to bite them in the ass.

"What do you think brother?" Rukia asked Byakuya who had been captivated by something on the other side of the window. For a few moments he was silent, then he turned to the rest of the group.

"I think I just saw Yachiru Kusajishi stealing the koi from my pond."

"What do you think about the situation in Hueco Mundo?" she rephrased.

"It'll be difficult to get approval. The soul Society's finally regrouping from the chaos caused by Sosuke Aizen, Unohana's not likely to authorize anything that will weaken the Gotei 13."

"What do you propose we do?" Ichigo asked.

"Waging war in Hueco Mundo isn't an option, but capturing Las Noches would give us a foothold there without compromising our defenses here."

"When do we go in?" Renji asked.

"They've just taken the castle, so their defenses will be tight. They'll be expecting us to try and take it back. We should wait, at least until things settle down here." He turned back to the window.

"And we're stuck in this building until then?" Grimmjow rose from his seat.

"That or return to Hueco Mundo." Renji said.

"This is a fair arrangement, Grimmjow. They are offering us shelter and protection. It's a kindness." Nelliel spoke softly.

"Maybe I don't want their protection. Why should we even trust these Shinigami?" he fumed as he paced the office.

"How long do you think you, the Tres Espada, would last against all of Hueco Mundo?" Ulquiorra glared at him from his seat. Grimmjow stopped pacing and glared back at Ulquiorra. Hesitantly he seated himself.

"The sun's setting." Byakuya noted absentmindedly.

"It's been a long day. We should all get some rest." Ichigo said softly. "I'll show you guys to your rooms." He said to Orihime and the Espada.

"I'll see you at home?" Renji asked.

"I'll be there soon." Ichigo promised.

Before heading out the door behind Byakuya and Rukia Renji gazed at the carrot top. He left the five in the office. Ichigo wasn't himself. Momo's death was weighing heavily on him, but that wasn't all. Something was happening with him, something Renji couldn't quite put his finger on. He had a bad feeling about all of this.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I've been taking a break from my writing to deal with my real life, ( I hate when that happens! ) but now I find myself with loads of free time and there's not enough Glee or Grey's Anatomy to keep my from my fanfiction. So updates should be a more frequent than they have been. **

Chapter Eight

"Orihime," Ichigo called after all of the Espada had entered their room. She turned to look at him. Ulquiorra waited at her side. "can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can you give us a minute?" she asked the Primera Espada. "I'll join you soon."

"Very well." He replied nonchalantly. He disappeared into the room. At first there was silence. Ichigo wasn't sure where to begin.

"What are you doing Orihime?" he asked at last.

"What do you mean Ichigo?" Her eyes were as large and bright as they always were. She was smiling gently, her face expressing a deep curiosity. It appeared that she was the same girl Ichigo had grown up with. She seemed completely unchanged, but Ichigo knew that wasn't the case.

"You're supposed to be traveling with your family. What have you been doing in Hueco Mundo? What are you doing with the Espada? With him?" Ichigo couldn't mask the contempt in his voice as the last word came out.

"I told Tatsuki to tell everyone that I was travelling. I didn't want anyone to come looking for me." Her smile gradually faded and a deep sadness crossed her features. "For a while now I've been unsure of my place. I tag along with you and Uruyu and Rukia, but I know that more often than not I'm in the way." Her voice began to quiver and her eyes welled up with tears. She balled her hands into fists at her sides. "I went to Hueco Mundo to become strong. Well, that's a large part of why I went…"

"You're not in the way."

"You don't have to lie to me Ichigo. I couldn't take care of myself on the battlefield, and after Yammy hurt me, I realized that I can't expect you to always be there for me. You're amazing Ichigo, but you're still just one man. I should never have allowed myself to be such a burden."

Despite himself, Ichigo couldn't argue. He loved Orihime, but everything she was saying made perfect sense. He vividly remembered how Yammy Llargo attacked her. He would never forget how he felt when he saw her throughout her recovery, covered in bandages.

"You said that was part of why you left."

"I also…" she hesitated and wouldn't meet his eyes. "I needed to see Ulquiorra. I hadn't since right after your fight with him."

"What exactly is happening between the two of you?" he asked, although he wasn't entirely sure he wanted an answer.

"I love him. We haven't discussed what we're doing, he's not the easiest man to talk to, but I know that he feels the same way for me. He always has. We've been living together in Las Noches. He's been training me in combat, as have Nel and Grimmjow."

"Are you ok?" he asked after a brief pause. He wasn't quite sure how to take the news. He wasn't sure if it was worse that she was in love with an Espada or that she wasn't in love with him anymore.

"I'm ok. The training schedule is rigorous. It was exhausting for a while, but I'm beginning to adapt to the strain. My spiritual pressure is much greater than it was only a few weeks ago. All I needed was to push myself."

"Well that's good. I'm happy for you. It's getting late. I'm gonna head home. If you need anything at all, just ask one of the Squad members."

"Goodnight Ichigo." She was smiling that sweet smile that always seemed to brighten the room. It was difficult for Ichigo to think of her as a woman, but somehow amongst all of the craziness that they'd survived, the little girl he used to know grew up. He smiled back.

"Goodnight Orihime."

Ichigo wasn't quite ready to head home after his chat with Orihime. After much aimless wandering he found himself in the clearing he and Renji trained in. It was about a mile outside the Seireitei, a small glade of grass and a few trees. It was so quiet and peaceful here. Typically the silence would disturb him, but after the day's events, a little peace would do the Squad 3 Captain some good.

When he made it home Renji would want to know what happened. Ichigo wasn't quite ready to reflect on what happened in Hueco Mundo. He just needed some time to unwind. Ichigo laid back in the grass he was seated upon. The sky was a deep calming blue. The stars seemed almost close enough to touch. A warm breeze stirred the trees and caressed the folds of the Captains Shihakusho. The Squad 10 Captain's icy grief didn't seem to reach this far and Ichigo was thankful for that. He didn't need any more reminders of the death of Momo Hinamori. He knew better than anyone that the Vice-Captain was gone. She died right in front of him. He carried her corpse back from Hueco Mundo. Her death would weigh on him for the rest of his life; he didn't need to be reminded.

"What are you doing?" a voice came from behind him. Ichigo didn't turn to greet her. She sat beside him, her legs folding gracefully beneath her. The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Just needed to clear my head, it's been a trying day." He said finally.

"That's the understatement of the year. Are you ok Ichigo?" Concern clouded her characteristically piercing blue eyes.

"I'll be fine." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Really Rukia, I'm ok." She withdrew her hand and her gaze. She stared out into the clearing. "Did Renji send you to collect me?" he asked after several minutes of silence.

"I sent myself. We were both concerned." Somehow in the minutes between her question and her response to his, she lost the edge of worry in her voice. It was as if the time frame for pity had elapsed and she was back to being her usual no-nonsense, abrasive, and unapologetic self.

"There's no need for concern, I just needed to take my mind off of everything. Find some Zen or something."

"How's that working out for you?" she asked dubiously.

"So far, I feel about the same, but I'm hoping avoidance will make me feel better."

"That's the way to solve all the worlds problems." She replied. He laughed at that.

"I just want an hour off." He said somberly.

"I guess you've earned an hour." She said as she laid back into the grass with a grace attained after decades of pressure from the Kuchiki clan. "One day, there won't be a huge crisis. We'll be able to relax and eat pizza or whatever it is we did before we got onto this crazy train."

"Pizza sounds good. We'll have to catch a movie too. I can't remember the last time I went to the movies."

"Me either. So we'll go do that too. We'll get everyone together and we'll watch movies and eat junk food until we puke."

"Do you promise?" he asked lazily. Fatigue was beginning to set in. He'd have to head home sooner or later.

"I promise." She whispered.

Ichigo lifted an arm and half-heartedly attempted to touch the stars. The evening sky was moonless, as if it knew that he was still being haunted by the crescent moon of another world. The sky was a sea of stars floating above the Soul Society. Ichigo stared into the endless pool of midnight blue. Somehow, despite all of his problems, gazing into that areal ocean made them all seem small, inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

He'd grown so used to taking care of everyone and everything that it was difficult to imagine what his life would look like if he weren't himself. Could anyone have stopped Aizen except for him? Would anyone have been able to beat back the Bounts or Save Orihime from Ulquiorra or rescue Rukia? He didn't know. If he doubted it would that make him a narcissist? Did he have a savior complex, or did he just happen upon people who needed saving. He wasn't sure. What would happen to the Soul Society if he were to return to the human world full-time and finish high-school? It should be obvious that the world would keep turning. Life would go on and people would live their lives. Despite the fact that the Gotei 13 got along just fine before he came along, Ichigo wasn't sure of how well they would do in his absence.

And how invested were they in cultivating a relationship with the Espada? Regardless of his past with the group, they were the only glimmer of hope towards the stability of Hueco Mundo. He felt personally tied to the group not only because of his history, but also for Orihime. It seemed that she had earned a place among the Espada, though she wasn't a member of the elite squad of Arrancar. There was also something else. He felt an emotional attachment to the group. A wave of pride swelled within him at the idea of the group proving that Hollow aren't just mindless monsters, that the race was capable of more than devouring souls and raiding the Seireitei. They brought him one step closer to fully accepting his own inner Hollow that he'd spent so long trying to suppress.

The Soul Society and Hueco Mundo needed him, at least for now. He'd have to think about a "normal life" when he was eating pizza by the box and watching movies. For the time being he had an obligation to his squad, his fellow Captains, and the Espada.

"What are you thinking?" he asked his friend who'd been laying silently by his side for several minutes.

"I'm thinking about the bath I'm going to need because you have me laying on the ground. What are you thinking?"

"That it's time to head home." He said rising to his feet.

"That wasn't an hour." She replied, taking his hand as he helped her to her feet.

"I found Zen early. You coming back with me or is there a bathtub with your name on it?

"I think I'll give you boys your alone time." She said with wink and a sly smile. She turned to leave, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks for being here for me Rukia."

"I'll always be here for you." She replied. On that note, she flash stepped away. Now that he thought about it a bath sounded like just the thing he needed to further unwind. He slowly made his way back to the Seireitei thinking of the fun in store when he made it home.

The door was conveniently unlocked. Ichigo let himself in quietly. It was a little unsettling how he'd already begun to think of this place as home. He'd been spending most of his time here with Renji when he wasn't working, but this wasn't his home. He'd yet to move most of his things from the Human world and he didn't have a key.

"Is that you Ichigo?" Renji's thick voice called from the bedroom. Ichigo didn't respond, instead he just followed his lovers voice. He met the Squad 5 Captain in the doorway. He was a vision, his long red hair was loose, framing his handsome features. It was bold and wild, like the thick black tribal tattoos that accented his perfectly muscled body. The tatts ran from his face, down his neck, over his chest, along his abdomen, and beneath the elastic waistband of his sweatpants.

"Honey, I'm home." Ichigo said teasingly.

"I've missed you." Renji said, taking the smaller man into his arms and holding him tightly for a few seconds. "How are you doing?" he asked taking a step back, but still standing intimately close.

"I need a bath. Will you take a bath with me?" Ichigo asked. He softly pressed his lips against the redheads, be breathed in the spicy scent of the other man.

"Yeah." Renji whispered seductively. "I'll run some water." He said just before gently brushing his lips against Ichigo's. He traced the outline of the other man's mouth with his tongue. Ichigo's mouth parted in invitation and Renji kissed him passionately.

Ichigo broke the kiss. Renji eyed him like a lion eyes a wounded gazelle. He licked his lips in anticipation of what was to come, then he turned and headed towards the bathroom. Within seconds Ichigo could hear the water running. Ichigo left the bedroom and headed towards the kitchen.

A few minutes later Ichigo entered the bathroom juggling a pint of ice cream, chocolate syrup and a jar of cherries. Renji was nude, one of his bare legs hovered just above the surface of the water, toes testing the temperature. He seemed to be pleased with the warmth of the water, because his foot slowly fell into the tub. He noticed Ichigo as he brought his other leg over the rim. He silently descended into the water until he was lying comfortably. He motioned for Ichigo to join him.

Ichigo walked over to the edge of the tub. He placed the things he was carrying on the edge f the tub. He stripped off his Haori, then his Shihakusho and was surprised by how good it felt to get out of the clothes that were weighing so heavily on him. He removed his socks and underwear, standing completely exposed before the other captain. Careful not to knock anything over he climbed into the tub. The water was warmer than he had expected, but as son as he'd submerged most of his body, he found that the heat soothed away all of his aches as well as his concerns.

He made himself comfortable next to the redhead in the generously sized tub. He kissed Renji's soft lips and licked his warm hard skin. Ichigo's hands dug into the other man's hair as his tongue explored his mouth, neck, shoulders, and chest. He climbed atop Renji and fed him fast melting ice cream, licking off any that may have missed it's target. The shared cherries and took turns licking chocolate syrup off of each other.

When all of the food was gone, the two dried off and headed to the bed. Renji's tongue immediately found Ichigo's hole and began to stroke it mischievously. Ichigo groaned and leaned into the caress, clenching the sheets in his fists as he did so. The tongue traced and twirled and twisted and flicked, causing Ichigo to cry out in pleasure. Renji drew designs and patterns that Ichigo couldn't discern in his state of euphoria. The larger man teased until Ichigo was nearing his breaking point.

"Renji!" he panted in desperation.

"You want it?" Renji asked coming up for air.

"Yeah baby, I want it. I need it." Ichigo moaned. A few moments later Renji was slicking Ichigo's entrance with a splash of warm and silky lubricant. Ichigo's breath caught as the redhead maneuvered his head against his hole. For about a minute, he only brushed himself along the entrance. When he finally pushed himself inside, Ichigo gasped. Slow and steady Renji rocked himself in and out, inserting himself deeper within his lover with each and every thrust until his hips were grinding against Ichigo's ass. By this time the carrot-top was moaning uncontrollably and Renji had only just begun to join in.

"Renji" Ichigo murmured as the redhead began to quicken his pace. He buried his face into a pillow as Renji pounded him harder and faster. He reached down and began pumping his own throbbing member.

"Are you getting close?" Renji asked.

"Yeah, come with me." Ichigo moaned.

"Ok baby." Renji began thrusting with more force, bringing the both of them over the edge. "Oh god!" he cried as he climaxed inside of Ichigo. Just the thought of Renji spilling inside of him made Ichigo come. He trembled as he rocked into Renji and blew his load all over the sheets. When the last wave of pleasure passed through him, he leaned back into Renji, turning his face and kissing the other man. Slowly, Renji slid out of him and then laid down, apparently worn out. Ichigo collapsed next to him. Renji wrapped his arms around Ichigo and the two rested in silence for a while.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied.

**A/N: So I wanted to bring some of the supporting characters to the forefront this chapter. Shed some light on Orihime and help Rukia earn that Emmy for Best Supporting Actress. There are a lot of characters in Ichigo's inner circle and I'm trying to keep it that way. Questions, comments, suggestions? Let me know what you think. Every author enjoys a review. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Fifty million years later. Sorry for the wait, real life stuff, and a dry spell. That's the best explanation I can come up with. Thanks for everyone who's reviewed, I love reading your comments and I'm excited to dive back into my writing, feel free to drop more. On a side note MANY of you seem to be very annoyed by the fact that I'm not using the traditional spelling of Zanpakuto. It is not a spelling error; I am doing it intentionally and will continue to do it for the remainder of this story. All of the fics I do in the future however will feature the traditional spelling. I wasn't expecting this much negative feedback because of a detail that I find to be very minor. Hopefully it won't prove to be too much of a distraction throughout the rest of this fic. Without further Ado, here is Chapter Nine. ; )**

**Chapter Nine**

Momo's funeral was held the next day. The seireitei was unseasonably cold and was blanketed in a sheet of snow. Ichigo attended the service with Renji at his side. He was greeted warmly by all with the exception of the Squad Ten Captain, who regarded Ichigo with icy silence. Hinamori was buried in the Rukongai, where both she and Captain Hitsugaya were raised.

Slowly over the course of the next several days, the mood of the Seireitei began to brighten. Though the loss of Vice-Captain Hinamori was a tragedy the world continued to turn in her absence. Everyone returned to work, with the exception of Captain Hitsugaya, who took a leave of absence to visit his grandmother in the Rukongai. The summer sun melted the snow in his absence and Ichigo took solace in the warmth.

There was a captains meeting held to determine what was to be done about the Espada. Captain Commander Unohana decided that as long as the Arrancar stayed within the confines of the Squad Three barracks and there were no incidents, they were permitted to stay in the Soul Society. Captain Soi Fon insisted that the Onmitsukido stand guard around the barracks. Ichigo had no objections so long as the Stealth Force didn't interfere with his squads' day to day operations.

Things were running smoothly, or as smoothly as could be expected when Grimmjow Jaggerjack was involved.

"When the hell can I get out of this shit hole?" he growled.

"This is not a shit hole," Ichigo said, his patience wearing thin. "and you're welcome to open a Garganta and head back to Hueco Mundo at any time. How long do you think you'll last against all of Kayko's subordinates?"

"You trying to pick a fight Kurosaki?" Grimmjow asked, rising out of his chair.

"Our last fight didn't turn out so well for you, or did you forget?" Ichigo tried to sound nonchalant, though he took immense pleasure in taunting the Tres Espada.

"That's it half-breed!" the blue-haired Arrancar spat. Before he had a chance to cross the room and reach Ichigo, Renji and Nel were blocking his path. "Outta my way!" he screeched at the two.

"Not a chance." Renji said. Though he spoke softly, his words had a razors edge. It was clear he wanted the Espada to try to get past him. He harbored no love for the Espada, Grimmjow especially, and Ichigo noted that he didn't hesitate to showcase that.

"Calm yourself Grimmjow, or perhaps you need to be reminded why I am the Segundo Espada." Nelliel's words stopped Grimmjow in his tracks. It was the first time Ichigo had heard even a hint of malice in the woman's voice. She spoke as softly and sweetly as usual, but the weight of her words hung over Ichigo like a guillotine. They appeared to have the same effect over Grimmjow, because he stalked back to his chair and seated himself.

Ichigo looked around his office. Once again the room was filed wall to wall with his most trusted friends, some of whom had been his worst enemies at one point or another. Renji made his way back to the desk and casually leaned against it. Rukia was seated on the desk. Byakuya was gazing out the window, as if there was nothing of interest going on inside the room. Nel returned to her seat on the couch beside Ulquiorra and Orihime, who were sitting a little closer than Ichigo was comfortable with.

"It's been a few days, do you think it's still too early to storm Las Noches?" Rukia asked no one in particular.

"Now's as good a time as any." Byakuya commented without turning from the window. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to fortify it."

"So when do we do this? Tomorrow?" Renji asked.

"Tonight." Ichigo said. "Lets take the castle tonight."

"Will we have reinforcements? We don't really know what we're going into. Won't someone need to stay and defend it after we've captured it as well?" Orihime spoke meekly.

"We don't want to go in too heavy. The larger the group, the more difficult it will be to manage." Renji said. "Not to mention this isn't authorized. The less people involved, the better."

"So it's just us then." Rukia stated softly. Her voice was even, but Ichigo could tell she was anxious.

"3 Captains, and the top 3 Espada is overkill. With you and Orihime to back us up I'm not concerned." Ichigo reassured her.

"How are we gonna do this?" Renji asked. Ichigo looked at the Primera Espada. Ulquiorra rose from his seat and approached the desk.

"Do you have a pen and paper?" he asked. Ichigo retrieved the materials from his desk and watched as Ulquiorra began to draw what appeared to be an outline of Las Noches.

**XXXXX**

After working out a plan with the rest of the group, Ichigo found himself in the Captain Commander's office. The room was simply decorated and meticulously cleaned. A potted plant rested on every solid surface in the room, some, Ichigo suspected held medicinal properties while others were clearly aesthetic in value.

On the other side of the desk, framed by brightly colored orchids sat Retsu Unohana. Her expression was as serene as always, though her eyes held a sliver of curiosity.

"I'll get straight to the point." Ichigo said breaking the easy silence that had fallen on the room. "Hueco Mundo is in chaos. Aizen's absence caused a major power vacuum, one that the Espada have failed to fill. They need help, and I've agreed to help them."

"Have you come here to ask for my blessing?" She asked, her porcelain features not giving the slightest hint as to what she was truly thinking.

"I've come to request that my squad be deployed to Hueco Mundo to assist the Espada in establishing control."

"Not very long ago we were at war with the Espada. Why would I deploy an entire squad to assist them?"

"The Arrancar aren't evil. They were just being manipulated by Aizen, as were many of the officers in the Gotei. Helping in Hueco Mundo would help establish positive relations with them. The war's over, it's time that everyone got a fresh start."

"At this point an entire squad cannot be spared. With all of the changes in the divisions, the Sereitei is more vulnerable than it's ever been. You may however enlist an elite task force of no more than 8 officers. My only stipulation is that either one Captain or Vice-Captain must remain to run their division. You may take any 8 Seated Shinigami who agree to accompany you. I expect a progress report on the status of your mission daily. Do you accept these terms Captain Kurosaki?" She asked, her face uncharacteristically serious.

"I do. Thank you Captain Commander."

"If there isn't anything else, you may go." Ichigo rose from his chair and headed for the door. "Ichigo," her voice called from behind him. He turned. "don't make me regret this decision."

"You won't." he promised and then left the office, a chill running down his spine. Sometimes that woman gave him the creeps.

** XXXXX**

Ichigo sat behind his desk, his chair was more welcoming than it had ever been before. Between juggling his duties as a Captain, managing the Espada and planning an assault on Hueco Mundo he was exhausted, and it was only three in the afternoon. Unohana had sanctioned the attack, and that in and of itself took a load off of the Squad Three Captain's shoulders. Planning it was stressful enough, but dreading the repercussions had been taking a toll as well. Not only had she gave him leave, but limited his party to 8 Shinigami when he had only intended to bring four, himself included. He was prepared to leave tonight taking, Byakuya, Renji, Rukia, Orihime, Ulquiorra, Grimmjaw, and Nelliel with him. Now that he was afforded the opportunity he wasn't going to hesitate to add 4 more blades to the assault. But who should he bring?

Ichigo's eyes wandered to the dead Marigolds on his desk. Kira was the first to come to mind. He was a skilled swordsman, and his Captain status didn't hurt. Ichigo found himself immensely curious about his Bankai. It was undoubtedly related to his Shikai, but the Squad Three Captain didn't have the foggiest idea of what it could be. He only knew that it must be truly fearsome. Kenpachi was sure to want to tag along. After seeing Kyoraku in battle in Fake Karakura Town, Ichigo would feel much safer storming the stronghold if the Captain was on his side. So now all he had to do was gather the proper Soul Reapers and break some bad news to one of his most volatile lieutenants. This was going to be interesting.

**XXXXX**

A few hours later Ichigo stood in the courtyard of Squad 3. Before him stood Ulquiorra, Grimmjaw, Nel, Orihime, Renji, Byakuya, Kenpachi, Kira, and Hiroshi Hamada the third Seat in his own squad. The atmosphere was a tense one, everyone was bracing themselves for what was bound to be a trying night. Taking Las Noches would be no easy feat despite having 5 Captains and the Espada on their side. It was critical that this operation be clean and precise, a surgical strike. If they failed to claim the tower this night, it would too heavily fortified to attempt again with a force this small. Tonight was their one shot.

"FUCK THAT SHIT!" Rukia screamed at the top of her lungs immediately after Ichigo told her that she had to stay behind. "I'm going with you." She stated firmly, in her mind no other course of option was plausible.

"Unohana has given us the go ahead on this, but only so long as there's a Captain or Vice-Captain to lead their squad tomorrow. I can't take you and Renji with me." Ichigo explained calmly, expecting this exact reaction from his old friend.

"So leave Renji! That blockhead will probably do more harm than good anyway!" Rukia exclaimed. She was probably right.

"I can't do that Rukia, and don't even ask why, you know the answer." Ichigo stated flatly.

"The politics of your relationship make no difference to me. I'm going!" She crossed her arms and Ichigo was very much reminded of Karin when he made her do something she didn't want to.

"Rukia, I need you to do this for me." Ichigo said, his voice no longer even, but gentle, vulnerable even. She seemed taken aback by the change in tactic. "This is about more than Las Noches, this is the first step toward civil relations between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. This is bigger than you, or me, or even the Captain Commander. This is about change, and if it's going to work, we have to do it right."

"You're an asshole." She said, the edge no longer in her voice. She took a step nearer to him and laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "If anyone can manage this, it's you Ichigo. I'll await your return, this time, but you owe me."

"Thanks Rukia." He replied, grasping her hand in his for a moment, then he left her in the Squad 5 office.

A warm breeze brought Ichigo back to the present. He looked up to see that the final member of their party, Shunsui Kyoraku hadn't yet arrived. Where was he?

"He's not coming." The answer to his unasked question came from behind him. Nanao Ise, Kyoraku's Vice-Captain stood before Ichigo, her round spectacles reflecting the light of the moon back at him. "He's passed out, drunk. I'll be accompanying you." She stated it matter-of-factly, as if this had been the plan all along. Ichigo knew little of Nanao, he'd never seen her in battle, but he'd heard that she was one of the most proficient users of Kido in the Gotei 13.

"Alrighty then," Ichigo said hesitantly." whenever your ready." He turned from her to the Primera Espada. Without uttering a word of response Ulquiorra lifted his left hand, his index finger pointed before the group. Announced only by a distorted hum, a Garganta opened before the group. Ichigo was the first to step into the blackness, leaving the Sereitei behind once again. The oppressive stillness and darkness of the portal gave the Squad Three Captain a sense of claustrophobia. The group entered behind him, picking up his slow and steady pace. They were going to need their energy.

**A/N: ** **Again, I apologize for the massive gap in time between my last chapter and this one. It's been a weird couple of months, but it's my intention to post more regularly. Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The cold, dry desert air blew past him as he rushed towards the ground in a heart-pounding free fall. No matter how many daring leaps or life threatening battles he faced, Ichigo found that his heart still hammered in his chest throughout every endeavor. Perhaps he'd never get used to the danger, maybe if he did that would be his undoing. He surveyed the roof he was mere moments from landing upon. Three sentries were posted, two were seated and another was peering over the edge to the dunes below. Despite his silent landing the guards were alerted by the burst of spiritual pressure Ichigo implemented to break his fall. Before any of the three had an opportunity to react, Ichigo recovered from his landing, withdrew Zangetsu from his back, careful not to disturb the Haori hanging loosely at his shoulders. With a burst of Shunpo and one slash of his mighty blade Ichigo slew all three Hollow silently and mercilessly.

Just as silent as Ichigo's landing, though with more grace, Izuru Kira landed on the roof, surveying the carnage with aplomb. Ulquiorra, Grimmjaw, Nel, Orihime, Renji, Byakuya, Ise, and Hiroshi landed moments later, and finally, Kenpachi crashed onto the roof with a resounding _Boom!_ Byakuya glared at him, but Kenpachi ignored it.

With a glance, Ichigo imparted a silent good luck to Renji, a look that was returned with the slightest of nods. The large group split in half, and with a resounding battle cry Kenpachi leapt out into the desert night. With equally fearsome shouts of rage Renji and Grimmjaw followed him off of the roof. Ichigo's heart dropped the instant Renji went over the side of the roof, everything in him screamed for him to leap off the building as well. To fight side by side with the man he loved on this insane kamikaze mission. He didn't. Instead he turned to his comrades remaining on the roof.

Byakuya, Ulquiorra, Nelliel, Orihime, Hiroshi, Ise, and Kira stared back at him all completely emotionless, seemingly oblivious to his internal conflict. Ichigo turned his eyes away from the group, afraid they might betray his confident façade. He turned to the trap door behind them. With a swing of Zangetsu he sliced the door off of its hinges and it fell into the stairwell beneath, clattering on the spiral stone staircase before coming to a halt a few steps down. Ignoring the steps, Ichigo dropped down into the small circular space between the stairs. He fell seven or eight floors before he landed. There were no guards guarding the interior of the stairwell, but he was sure that there would be guards on the within the halls of Las Noches. Kira, Ise, and Hiroshi were at his side within moments.

Earlier that day Ulquiorra had explained the layout of the expansive compound. Beyond the stairwell was a hall that led to a large chamber, the heart of Las Noches. Here Ichigo, Hiroshi, Ise, and Kira would create a secondary distraction, tie up most or all of the remaining guards within the stronghold leaving the remainder of the party to infiltrate the throne room, where Kayko was sure to be. With Kayko eliminated the remaining Hollow who didn't flee would prove little challenge to the group. It was as good a plan as the group could come up with.

Ichigo put his hand on the door handle. He exhaled deeply and braced himself for what was about to happen. Tightening his grip on Zangetsu with his free hand, he gave the door a shove so hard that the hinges buckled beneath the force and the door flew into the room, crashing loudly onto the stone floor. With a battle cry that he'd picked up from Renji, he darted into the room. Before him stood three very alarmed guards, one fell to the floor, dead before he even had time to grasp what was happening. The second had time to raise his blade, though it did him little good with Ichigo's own blade already buried in his chest. The third guard had his blade up and ready by the time Ichigo turned to him. He swung his blade wildly at Ichigo, who dodged with a practiced ease. Before Ichigo had an opportunity to counter a red glow from behind him caught his attention.

"SHAKKAHO!" the fireball was massive and came hurdling towards the guard with uncanny speed. He barely had time to see the Kido before it rammed into his chest with a ear popping _crack. _ The sheer force of the collision pinned him to a wall several feet away, and when the flames subsided nothing was left but an unidentifiable charred mass. Ise still stood hand extended, wisps of smoke rising from her fingertips.

Just as his companions rushed to his side a deafening shriek erupted from above, blaring for several seconds. Moments after it subsided, it was followed by another, then another.

"What is that?" Hiroshi yelled over the sound.

"The alarm." Kira shouted back. "They know we're inside the fortress."

Kira barely got the words out before several guards rushed in from the doorway at the far end of the hall several hundred feet away. First ten, then twenty, then forty Arrancar came running out of the threshold, a small army amassing before their very eyes.

"Here they come!" Ise screamed, sounding more than a little alarmed.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

X X X X X

Renji looked away from the horde of swarming Hollow and Arrancar for the briefest of moments. An alarm was blaring from within the castle. That must have meant that Ichigo and the others had begun their assault on the other side of the castle walls. It meant that things were going according to plan. His chest tightened at the thought of Ichigo in danger within the halls of the fortress. Ichigo would be fine. He was the most capable swordsman Renji had ever known. His strength and skill were unbelievable, and there was no man, Shinigami, Arrancar, or Human who was his equal. Even so, he was concerned, and unnerved by this sudden and unprecedented feeling.

Renji looked back to his prey, and somehow within the miniscule quantity of time he'd averted his gaze he had managed to become surrounded. A massive lizard, the size of a truck crawled on all fours directly before him. An Arrancar stood on either side of it, two indistinguishable beasts on either side of them. He glanced behind him to see an Arrancar who'd released his Resurreccion, a lion-man hybrid. The lizard scrambled forward, incredibly fast for its size. Renji was faster though. With a burst of Shunpo, he was behind the creature, Zabimaru already arcing down towards its spiny back. Before the blow landed one of the Arrancar had managed to close the gap between Renji and itself. It swung it's blade at Renji, he barely had time to block with Zabimaru. He leapt back, putting space between the Arrancar and himself. He swung his Zanbato in such a way that the serpentine blade curled around the back and front of him, preventing attack from either direction. He landed on a sand dune a few feet away from both the lizard and the Arrancar.

"Hihio Zabimaru!" With a rush of spiritual the links on Zabimaru detached. The metallic shards of the blade shifted to bone and reassembled, the Bankai being much larger than the Shikai. One end of the newly formed Zanbato attached itself to the hilt in Renji's hand, the other end had grew a Mane of blood red fur and a skeletal snake head. The snake raised it's head to the sky and gave out a spine tingling scream of delight. It looked down at the Hollow and Arrancar beneath it and it's blood red eyes glistened with joy at the malice to come. With the guidance of Renji's spiritual pressure the beast dropped its body to the ground, mouth agape and rushed towards its adversaries. It swallowed an Arrancar and several Hollow whole, including the giant lizard, who was miniscule in comparison to the serpent. Bits and pieces of the Hollow the beast had swallowed squirted out of the space between the series of interlocking bone plates holding it together.

Having destroyed all of the Hollow and one of the Arrancar, Renji set his sights on the remaining two Arrancar, one of who had already released his Resurreccion. The Lion leapt into the air with feline strength and grace, his fellow ran forward opting to strike from the ground. With a tug of the hilt of his blade and a bit of spiritual pressure, Renji guided the serpent to meet the Lion head on, it stretching its gaping maw. The jaws on the snakes head unhinged and a ball of Crimson energy amassed and shot from its throat. When the smoke cleared there was nothing left of the Lion, it had been completely obliterated in the blast. The remaining Arrancar, disheartened at the sight of his comrade's untimely end froze. Without a moments hesitation the snake dove head first onto the patch of sand where the Arrancar stood, swallowing it whole. As the creature slid down the Bankai's throat, one of it's arms slipped through the plating and fell to the desert sand.

Renji gauged his situation, all of the remaining adversaries near him fled at the sight of his Zanbato's second release. A hundred feet away he could make out Kenpachi having the time of his life tearing a Hollow limb from limb and slaughtering anything stupid enough to think it had a chance against him. Out past Kenpachi Grimmjaw was fighting even more viciously than the 11th Division Captain, something Renji had never though possible. He was biting, and clawing, and disemboweling, and decapitating left and right. He let out a deep, inhuman, king of the jungle roar that successfully daunted everything within a mile, then put his fist through an Arrancar's chest. For the first time Renji looked at the Espada with respect. He was a true warrior, similar in many ways to Kenpachi and himself.

When Ulquiorra explained the plan he'd said that the only strength beyond the castle walls was in numbers. Kenpachi and Grimmjaw volunteered because there was more carnage to be found out here than within the castle, and Renji would be lying to himself if he were to say that he weren't enticed by it as well, but he'd expected more of a challenge. All of the truly powerful Arrancar were inside and he was stuck out here fighting these weaklings.

A roar in the sky disrupted Renji from his thoughts. He looked up to see the largest Resurreccion he'd ever seen. A colossal dragon was diving from the night sky directly towards him. This was more like it.

X X X X X

Orihime was having trouble keeping up with the others. Ulquiorra and Byakuya had taken the lead and Nel was keeping pace beside the red-haired girl, pushing her to keep up. Her lungs were burning, her heart was pounding, and her legs were throbbing. The others made it look so easy, but she'd been sprinting for several minutes straight and she was only human. This was her lot in life. This was the path she had chosen. This was how she had decided to live, and in all likelihood this was how she was going to die. The man she loved was a warrior, and the way she saw it she could either sit by idly and wait for him to return or she could become a warrior as well. She would never be able to live with herself if Ulquiorra died and she hadn't done everything possible to protect him, so here she was.

In the months of training she'd spent with the Espada she'd become faster, stronger, and tougher. She was no longer the fragile little girl she once was. She was no longer a burden, she'd learned to carry her own weigh, and as proud as it made her it was a massive pain in her ass. Despite how far she'd come and no matter how hard she worked she'd never be as fast as everyone else. She'd never be as strong as them either, but if she could at least help a little, then all of her efforts will have been worthwhile. So despite her body's protests, she pushed on following the group without complaint.

Suddenly Ulquiorra raised his fist into the air, indicating that everyone should stop. It was eerily silent for a minute. The only sound Orihime could hear was that of her pulse drumming in her ears. No one moved, no one spoke, they all just waited in silence. As her body returned to homeostasis, she tried to focus on the spiritual pressure in the room. At first she was aware of her own, then that of the most powerful of her companions, Ulquiorra, then Byakuya, then Nelliel, and there was another, barely distinguishable amidst all of the others. What was clear enough to the Primera Espada to stop him mid-sprint took a full minute of oblivion for her to catch. That was something she'd have to work on. She eyed every shadow carefully, raising her guard, not wanting to be caught by surprise by whoever was hiding from them.

"I have no time for your games," Byakuya's strong voice carried through the apparently deserted hall. "show yourself or I'll force you out of hiding." He unsheathed his Zanbato, and paused as a figure fell from the high ceiling. It was an Arrancar, dressed the same uniform that Orihime, Ulquiorra, and Nelliel were wearing. There didn't appear to be anything unique about him. He wasn't as daunting as Yammy Llargo, or as intimidating as Grimmjaw, nevertheless Orihime maintained her guard, prepared to call upon her Shun Shun Rikka at a moment's notice. "Draw your blade, I will not cut down an unarmed opponent." Orihime could hear Byakuya sneering without even looking over at him.

The Arrancarr reached behind his back where his Zanbato rested horizontally through his belt loops. The blade rang sharply as it was freed from it's scabbard. He held it out in front of him, pointing it directly at the Squad Six Captain. " Fade Fantasma." His voice was little more than a whisper. The sword slowly dissipated, as did the wielders hand, then arm, then the rest of him faded to nothing. When his body disappeared Orihime tried to feel for his spiritual pressure but that disappeared as well. It was as if he'd faded from existence. Orihime looked around anxiously.

"Ahhh!" Nelliel yelled in protest as an invisible force lifted her off the ground and launched her against the wall a dozen feet away. She recovered quickly and braced herself for another attack, but none came. With all eyes on the Segundo Espada, it took a moment for the group to realize the threat was now on Ulquiorra. The Primera Espada seemed to sense the attack coming, because he nearly dodged it, but there was a claw mark on the side of his face. Not a moment after the Arrancar drew blood, Ulquiorra's Zanbato was in his hand and he slashed at where his opponent would have been standing, but his blade hit nothing but air.

He was incredibly fast, Orihime noted. She was the weakest link, and therefore the likely to be attacked soon. She needed a plan. Santen Kesshun was useless if she couldn't see the attack coming, so she would have to be offensive. She would have to prepare for the strike now, and when it came, she would attack. Just as she had expected, Orihime was the target of his next attack. She sensed movement behind her, and turned just in time to feel claws digging into her chest. The pain was nearly blinding, but she was prepared for this. Now was the time to attack. "Koten Zanshun!" she screamed, the pain gave both her voice and her intent an uncharacteristic edge. A burst of light erupted from one of her hair clips. Tsubaki shot through the air before her. There was a sharp popping sound as it burst through the invisible creature. Blood arced through the air and fell to the ground in a sickening spatter. The Arrancar, now visible, lay dead on the floor before her. A large hole was present where Tsubaki had punched through his head. His blood and brains were pooling on the floor beneath him, the smell made Orihime's stomach drop. "Tsubaki." She murmured, and with another burst of light, the fairy returned to her hair clip.

"An impressive kill," Nel noted clasping Orihime on the shoulder. The sensation made Orihime gag, and before she knew it she was spewing the contents of her stomach onto the corpse. When she was finished, she struggled to spit the taste out of her mouth. Looking up she noticed that everyone was staring at her. She blushed heavily, and looked to Ulquiorra for help.

"Let's press on." He said with a smirk. Everyone turned from her and she breathed in inaudible sigh of relief. After another few minutes of running, the group stopped before a large wall, wall. "This is it. Ulquiorra stated monotonously. Behind this wall is the secret entrance to the Throne room. Prepare yourselves. Kayko is undoubtedly on the other side of this wall, and by now she's expecting us." He looked to the rest of the group, his eyes lingering on Orihime. She gave him a nod. He turned back to the wall and pushed in one of the bricks. There was a clicking sound, and a section of the wall reared back and slid out of the way, presenting a narrow passage. One by one the group entered the passage, Orihime taking up the rear. The wall behind them closed itself after a brief period, enclosing them in near darkness. The only light spilled from the far end of the passageway. Ulquiorra, Byakuya, Nelliel, and finally Orihime stepped out into the light.

"Welcome." A familiar voice boomed through the room. Seated upon the throne was none other than their target, Kayko. She looked tinier than she actually was in comparison to the massive throne she was seated on. Her inky black hair framed her beautifully pale white face. Her black eyes were calm as they took in the group. " Only four eh? Where is your leader? I thought for sure Ichigo Kurosaki would take me on himself."

"That won't be necessary. I alone am more than capable of dealing with you." Ulquiorra's monotone voice cut through the room as powerfully as if he had shouted. His spiritual pressure rocketed as he moved several paces away from the rest of the group. He raised one hand, index finger extended. A small sphere of acidic green energy accumulated before his fingertip. "Cero."

X X X X X

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo screamed, and with a swing of his sword a black and red projectile shot through the air, effectively cutting down the last of the defenders. He glanced around just to be sure, but the only people left standing were Kira, Hiroshi, Ise, and himself. None of them seemed to be seriously injured, but fatigue was wearing down on them, Ise especially. There was no time for rest though, if there were no more guards to defeat, then they would move on to the throne room and help the others. "Let's press on guys. It's time to finish this." The others nodded their assent and Ichigo lead them through the hall. With a few twists and turns here and there they stood before the entrance to the throne room. Ichigo had trouble remembering the directions Ulquiorra had given him, but by the time they had arrived, the spiritual pressure within the room could be felt from a mile away. Cautiously Ichigo and his companions entered the room.

Ulquiorra, Nelliel, and Orihime were scattered on the floor, all alive, but incapacitated. Byakuya alone was fending off Kayko. Both were moving incredibly fast, Her dagger was moving almost to quickly for his Zanbato to keep up with, slashing at his arms, then stabbing at his chest, then arcing towards his throat. He was on the ropes.

"Shokkaho!" Ise yelled, a large fireball rushed towards Kayko's back. She leapt in to the air, gracefully flipping backwards and landing in a crouch behind the fireball. Byakuya sliced through the Hado easily, causing both halves of the spell to dissipate.

"Soren Sokatsui!" he raised a finger, shooting out two swirling bolts of blue lightning. Kayko blocked both bolts with a single palm, the rushed back in with her dagger. Byakuya dodged and countered where he could, but if things didn't change, Kayko would undoubtedly prove the victor.

Ichigo darted in behind Kayko slashing Zangetsu at her back. She dodged it as easily as if he were moving in slow motion, all the while never taking her eyes off of the Squad Six Captain.

"Scatter Senbonzakura. " Byakuya's blade shattered into a thousand tiny razor sharp fragments. Kayko jumped high into the air, dodging the brilliant, pink shards, and causing Ichigo to dodge the devastating attack. Holding onto the hilt tightly with one hand, Byakuya guided the blades to follow Kayko into the air. She dodged to the left, but the blades still followed. She landed onto the ground and darted towards Byakuya, Senbonzakura just a few seconds behind her.

"Hado Number 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" Byakuya outstretched his palm and fired a gargantuan column of blue lightning. Kayko was pinned, the monstrous Hado was coming at her from the front, and Senbonzakura was coming from behind. She had nowhere to go. Ichigo slammed his eyes shut and thrust Tensa Zangetsu before him blindly in an attempt to shield himself from the explosion. Ise and Hiroshi cried out as they too were struck by the sheer force of the blast. After a while, the light faded and the smoke cleared. Kayko was kneeling on the ground, her blood was beginning to pool beneath her. She was gasping for breath, slowly, painfully, she rose to her feet. The strain of her own weight caused her to stumble forward, but she caught herself just as she began to fall. Her right arm hung at her side limply, apparently dislocated, though her Zanbato was still clutched tightly in it.

"Give it up Kayko. It's over." Ichigo called to her. She turned her head to him, her once calculated jet black eyes, now crazed. Her smooth unreadable face now contorted into a twisted grin.

"Over? Oh no Ichigo Kurosaki, the fun is just beginning." She screamed out in pain as she used her left arm to raise her right, Zanbato parallel with the ground. "Rend, Chimera." Ichigo found himself blinded yet again by a brilliant red glow. When the light faded the creature standing before him wasn't Kayko, but instead a foul beast with the body of a lion the size of a trailer. From the lions back sprouted a goat with long, sharp horns, smoke trailed from its nostrils as it breathed heavily. The creatures tail was the head of a snake, venom dripping from it's open mouth and burning through the floor. The beast took a step towards Byakuya, it's lion and goat heads focused on the head of the Kuchiki house, while the serpent had its eyes locked on Ichigo. The ground where the creature stepped split and cracked under it's tremendous weight.

It roared at the Kuchiki at a decibel so extreme the ground trembled, Ichigo covered his ears with his hands in an attempt to block out the sound, but it did little good. Byakuya on the other hand seemed not on unfazed by the scare tactic, but bored. He raised his newly assembled blade and pointed the tip to the ground. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Byakuya released the blade and it fell through stone causing it to ripple as though it were water. Behind him on either side lager blades rose from the ground and slid forward making room for more behind them until within second a thousand blades filled the room. "Scatter." Each blade shattered into a thousand pieces and they all swarmed towards the monster. The lion roared again and the goat breathed in deeply. Just as the blades were about to converge on Kayko, the goat exhaled a breath of fire, so powerful, that all of the blades dissipated into nothing. The flames rushed on towards Byakuya who's eyes widened in alarm. "Danku!" he shouted at the last second. A rectangular barrier formed just as the fire reached Byakuya. As the flames engulfed the elder Kuchiki they blocked Ichigo's line of sight. Nothing could be seen of the Captain within the flames. The heat was so intense that sweat began to drip down Ichigo's entire body. His Shihakusho and Haori became singed by the heat and even his hair began to smoke. The fire began to burn through the oxygen in the room and it became harder and harder to breathe. Ichigo didn't know how much more of this he could take. He had to do something.

He flash stepped towards the creature prepared to attack, but as soon as he was within range, the snake tail lunged at him as fast as lightning. Ichigo brought up Tensa Zangetsu and blocked the creature, preventing it from swallowing him whole. He tried to move past it, but it was too fast.

_Hollify. _ A voice in the back of his mind said to him. _You can't outmaneuver it with Hoho, but you could with Sonido. You're faster, stronger, better as a Hollow. _ The voice said to him.

"I'm a monster when I Hollify." Ichigo spat bitterly.

_What better to fight a monster with? Once again it seems you're in a position where accepting me is the only way to save your friends. So what's it going to be? _

"Let's do it." Ichigo said through gritted teeth. Immediately Ichigo felt the darkness within himself begin to take over. The Hollow mask fitted itself to his face, his spiky orange locks extended to the small of his back. His hands sprouted claws, his wrists sported tufts of orange fur. He became larger, more muscular and a pair of wicked horns extended from his temples. The power was intense, almost overwhelming, but the more the darkness overcame Ichigo, the more in control of it he seemed to be. He tightened his grip on Tensa Zangetsu.

The snake hissed at the Hollow, it howled back at it. He rushed forward, the snake matching his pace and spitting venom at him. The soft hum of Sonido filled the throne room as Ichigo easily dodged the poison. The snake struggled to match the Hollow's uncanny speed . Before it could react he was kneeling on it's head, driving Tensa Zangetsu through it's skull. He leapt off of the as it fell to the ground flaccidly. The lion and the goat screeched in agony, quickly turning to face this new opponent. Again, the goat breathed in deeply and spewed forth flames. Ichigo was prepared for this though. He bent his head forth and charged a cero between his horns. The beam was so powerful that the ground beneath them buckled beneath the magnitude of its force, causing large fissures in the stonework. The cero dispelled the flames and obliterated the goat, going on still to punch a hole through the castle ceiling and blasting off into the desert night sky. The lion roared in protest. His four legs buckled beneath him and he fell to the stone floor.

Slowly, almost tauntingly the Hollow approached what was left of Kayko's Resurreccion. The lion was breathing labouredly, grimacing at the pain of the massive wound on its back. Ichigo approached the beast's chest and raised Tensa Zangetsu. He charged his black and crimson spiritual pressure at the tip of his blade, and wordlessly released a Getsuga Tensho into the core of the beast. The Chimera or what was left of it began to shrink. Its fur was replaced with skin, it's claws became hands and feet. The massive creature shrunk down to the size of a miniscule woman. Kayko, was struggling to hold onto her life. Ichigo approached her. She wasn't long for this world.

"This… this is not… the end." She whispered through labored breath. "I am but the first. Our armies… our armies will lay claim to Hueco Mundo…then the world of the Living…and then..."she was having trouble finishing. The light was beginning to fade from her eyes. Ichigo raised his hand to his face and his hollow mask dissolved into nothing. He was himself again, and the Hollow was contained within.

"This is for Momo you crazy bitch…" He raised Tensa Zangetsu, and brought it down on her neck, cutting cleanly through it. Her head rolled to the side on the stone floor, warm and slick with her blood.

**AN: Finally, everything's just about wrapped up, or is it? One more chapter and I will be concluding part one of this fic, which means there will be a part two. I think I've been taking so much time between posts because I need a break from this story. I'm going to work on a few other things, but I will come back to Worlds collide, my very first fanfic. I'll get to work on the final chapter immediately. Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading. ; )**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ichigo stared across the field at his opponent. Ulquiorra Schiffer had a face that was wicked and beautiful simultaneously. His eyes were apathetic, a completely expressionless set of emerald irises and onyx pupils. HIs mouth was neither smiling nor frowning, it was a straight line devoid of even the slightest hint of curvature. He was small of frame and built entirely of wiry muscle, but he had a presence that commanded attention. His skin was the most ghastly shade of white, starkly contrasted by his messy jet black hair. He wore clothes similar to what Ichigo had seen him in before, a white jacket with a high collar and a black trim with a pair of pants to match. Atop his head was a bone white helm, though only half of it. The helmet appeared to be split down the center, the let half protecting his head and neck, the right half was missing entirely.

Both warriors eyed each other, Ichigo's gaze stern and guarded, Ulquiorra's seemingly bored. A cool breeze casually swept through the grassy clearing, blowing up red and orange fall leaves in the process. The Espada moved as if the flying leaves were some natural symbol for the match to begin. There was a familiar hum of Sonido as Ulquiorra dashed across the field directly toward Ichigo. In a mere moment he was upon him, slashing deftly with his Zanpakuto. Ichigo brought up Zangetsu with a practiced ease.

The Primera Espada came at him again, and again with quick precise strokes. Ichigo parried all of them. Ichigo could tell that the Espada was gauging his abilities. Ichigo couldn't say for sure who was the greater warrior of the two, all he knew was that Ulquiorra was at the height of his power, a scary thought.

The two Zanpakuto's sang out in the glorious song of battle. The melodious whistle of blades slicing through the air filled Ichigo's ears, mere moments before the blades crashed together with a sharp procussive shriek. Then again, and again, faster and faster. Ichigo was being pushed to the limits of his abilities. The two swordsmen stood their ground, neither pressing forward or allowing themselves to be pushed back. No powers, not tricks, just blades.

The Espada's blade flashed at Ichigo from all directions with uncanny speed. It was all the Squad Three Captain could do just to block the blows, he was running on instinct, there was no time for thought or planning. Though the two were stationary, the soft hum of Sonido filled Ichigo's ears. At first he was afraid taht the Espada was on the move, but Ulquiorra was still there. Instead of slashing and thrusting, the Primera Espada was blocking and parrying. Abruptly Ichigo came to the realization that it was he who was upping the tempo.

Unsummoned, though not unwelcome, spiritual particles accumulated before his eyes, and the the mask was on his face. It had been a few months since Ichigo and his party had stormed Las Noches and taken the castle. During that time Ichigo sought out and began a regular training regemin with the Ulquiorra in the hopes of finally gaining some insight of into his long supressed Hollow abilities. The first thing the Primera decreed was that Ichigo was forbidden to use his Soul Reaper powers.

"Shinigami and Hollow operate on opposite sides of the spiritual spectrum." the Primera had said in that monotonous voice of his. "It is only logical that to ascertain and utilize your Hollow abilities, you must refrain from using those of your Shinigami heritage." It had taken long months of training, ( training that put a strain on Ichigo's already hectic schedule as Squad Three's Captain ) but with each passing day his abilities were coming to him easier and easier. He was now using Sonido, fully conscious, neither supressing nor being overcome by the Hollow within. His Hollow mask formed naturally, instinctively even.

"One of the primary differences between the Soul Reapers and the Hollow is the method of discovering and honing our abilities. A soul reaper reflects within and meditates on his Zanpakuto. Conversely a Hollow must abandon all thought. The nature of a Hollow is a viscious one and only through battle can the secrets of your Hollow power come to light." the Primera's words were still clear in his mind all these months later, and the truth of them could not be denied. Setting aside his Shinigami abilites and pushing himself physically was how he'd managed to progress thus far. Even without the added power of cero, or bala, or any other advanced Hollow techniques, Ichigo could feel the gradual shift in his spiritual pressure. The warm familiar glow of his blue spiritual pressure gave to way to the darker icy power of his red Hollow ratie. The power that once filled him with dread and revulsion he now greeted with silent pride and admiration.

Under Ichigos relentless assault, Ulquiorra took a step back, grimacing as he did it. Ichigo took heart in the Hollow's minor retreat and pushed harder and faster and with renewed vigor. The Espada took another step back, then leapt into the sky. Ichigo moved to follow, but an acidic green glow came flashing down from the sky. The cero was massive and moving at a frightening speed. There was no time to dodge it. The Squad Three Captain slashed Zangetsu skyward. "Getsuga Tensho." The projectile, a highly concentrated manifestation of Ichigo's spiritual energy, was a deep crimson, long, thin, elegant, and deadly. It sliced through the cero, causing the green glow to dissipate as the Getsuga shot up to the Espada. The blow didn't strike home though. Somehow amongst all fo the confusion and heightened spiritual pressure, Ichigo had lost sight of his opponent. Upon that realization, mere seconds after the cero and the getsuga were released, he felt the blade slide between his shoulders.

The steel felt like ice, punching through his flesh, muscles, tendons, spine, and out through his chest at a steep upward angle. Blood rushed to fill his mouth, hot and coppery and sickening. Ichigo's blade fell from his grip and came to rest silently on the dying yellow grass. The Squad Three Captain was powerless to move, he couldn't even turn his head to look upon his attacker. His gaze was fixed across the clearing upon Renji Abarai, the Squad Five Captain, his best friend, and his lover. Ichigo felt a boot on his back and the icy steel slithered out of him slowly. Ichigo began to fall to the soft comforting grass. It rushed up to meet him.

The frozen stabbing pain in his back thawed as hot sticky blood rushed out of the wound, soaked through his Haori, Shihakusho, and the grass beneath him, seeping into the earth itself. He felt his body give an involuntary jerk, the pain that sudden movement elicited was blinding, an ache that flashed from his head to his chest, through his limbs, and outward to his toes and the tips of his fingers. The spasm was followed by another and another, each more painful that the last.

"Rise Ichigo Kurosake." the voice was as flat and lifeless as ever, but demanded not only recognition, but compliance. Ichigo tried to move, but the effort afforded him only another quick spasm of pain. It was excruciating, but Ichigo was no stranger to pain. He'd been beaten, stabbed, blasted, eaten, burned, electrocuted, trampled, and cut more times than he could count, but somehow between his immense spiritual pressure and his iron will he clung to life continuously. He would survive this too. Ichigo tried to rise again, this time there was a colossal involuntary rush of spiritual pressure coursing through him. His wound burned as though it had been ignited, and with an audible _Crack!_, the wound closed and was completely repaired.

Ichigo's hand found Zangetsu's hilt, and with some effort, he rose to one knee. By the time he was on both of his feet, he was panting and had to lean on the blade which was inserted into the earth for support. He brought his head up to look upon his opponent. Ulquiorra Schiffer was only three feet away, his face was expressionless, his eyes dead. His zanpakuto had disappeared entirely, his hands rested casually in his pockets. The battle was over.

"You've made fine progress today, Ichigo Kurosaki."his tone belied his words. The Espada turned his back on the Substitute Soul Reaper. "Orihime." he called out as he walked away.

Without a word the orange haired girl was beside him. She moved with a speed and grace that was inhuman and out of place in both the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. She was neither Shinigami, nor Hollow, but something else intirely. Human, but so much more, her powers were always a mystery, and in the past several months, she'd gained a level of power and control that far exceeded her abilities before. She was on a level that was toe to toe with most seated Shinigami. Without a word or motion, she released her Shun Shun Rikka, or the fairies that reside in the flower petals of her hair clips and who represent the source of her power. Ichigo was almost immediately wrapped in the warm comforting glow of the girls healing powers. He felt better instantly, his aches and pains retreated under the magic-like power of Orihime's Soten Kisshun.

A large calloused hand rested itself on Ichigo's shoulder. He looked up to see Renji at his side. His long red locks were tied behind his head with a white headband with the Squad Five crest in the center, the very same crest Ichigo knew was on the back of his Haori. Wild tribal tattoos boldly traced his entire body, beginning on his brow and falling down the sides of his face, down his neck and dipping beneath the folds of his Shihakusho only to resurface at his wrists. His eyes were a deep brown, and his face was solemn, but Ichigo could see the anger behind it.

Renji didn't understand why everyday Ichigo subjected himself to this kind of beating. Watching Ichigo get crushed in single combat was not something that Renji was accustomed to Ichigo knew. His ability to Hollify had always been something that the Squad Five Captain had feared and mistrusted. Honing that ability was not something that he endorsed, but day after day he came. Day after day he watched silently and showed his support through his presence, and Ichigo loved him for it. If the roles were reversed Ichigo didn't know if you could do the same. He was a warrior through and through. Watching an ally, nevermind a loved one, being assaulted was not a provocation that would go unanswered. Renji was stronger than him in that regard.

In the past few months Ichigo's knowledge of Renji had grown exponentially. He was brave to the point of idiocy, he was stubborn as a mule, loyal to a fault and extremely protective of his subordinates. He posed not only strength of body, but a strength of character that somehow Ichigo had overlooked in the past. He was warm, loving, arrogant, offputting, pig headed and infuriating and Ichigo had never in his life loved someone more fiercely.

The orange glow of Orihime's Soten Kisshun faded, and her faeries shot back into the hairclips from whenst they came. Ichigo stretched and marveled at the thousandth time at the amazing power Orihime Inoue posessed.

"Thank you Orihime." Ichigo said warmly, resting his hand on the girls shoulder. She had been uncharacteristically serious of late. Her time with the Espada was hardening her once bubbly and effervescent personality. She smiled modestly at the praise.

"It was nothing Ichigo." she replied. She looked back to see where Ulquiorra had run off to. Ichigo saw the Arrancar leaning against a tree, hands in his pockets, staring at the two of them with those beautiful emotionless emerald eyes of his. "We had better get back to Las Noches. I'll see you tomorrow Ichigo." she said the words with a soft smile. She turned to the other Captain. "Farewell Renji."

"See you tomorrow, Orihime." he barely got the words out before she was off, moving with an unnatural speed that was neither Shunpo, nor Sonido. With an effortless flick of his wrist, Ulquiorra opened a garganta, and the two were on their way. "Alone at last." Renji said just before planting a kiss on Ichigo's lips. "Are you ok?" he asked, his voice lined with concern. "That was quite a blow you took. When Orihime didn't move to intervene I almost did."

"I'm fine, I should never have allowed myself to loose him. My regenerative powers are developing nicely though. I think they'll eventually become instant like Ulquiorra's."

"Gods help us. I shudder to think. Your ego is large enough already. The last thing we need is an indestructible Ichigo." Renji leaned forward and planted another kiss on his lovers lips. Ichigo smiled. "Lets go home." he said, and they did.

**A/N: So it's been a little while, but here is chapter 11. I'd set this fanfic aside and started working on other things, but i got drawn back into it. In the upcoming chapters I've decided to change the construction a little, so that character POV centers around the story, but the plot and characters remain the same. I'd like to thank everyone for reading, and please review! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The Academy was everything Karin had hoped it would be and more. The girl had always felt out of place in the world of the living. Between her ability to sense the presence of ghosts and Hollow, her brothers escapades, and her fathers complete lack of sanity, she'd recognized a long time ago that she wasn't like other girls. At the academy all of her unasked questions were answered and replaced with new ones.

Within the halls of the Academy her brother was a legend although he'd never attended the academy himself. Rumors of his unmatched fighting prowess and frightening speed followed her wherever she went, as did the tales of his exploits. The students whispered of how he protected the beloved daughter of the Kuchiki clan, how as a Ryoka he infiltrated the Seireitei and single-handedly defeated the Squad Six Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. Tales of his treks to the world of the living and the dark world of Hueco Mundo filled her ears.

Karin and her sister Yuzu were treated like royalty by the students. At first Karin hated it, but eventually her resolve wore down. It was hard to say no to each and every kindness extended her way. Most of her new friends wanted her to regale them with tales of the great Captain Ichigo Kurosaki, a request she obliged more often than not. It was easy, and often yielded unexpected surprises like first spot in line in the cafeteria, or an offer to help carry her books.

Her life here was like a dream. She missed her father deeply, but Yuzu was here with her and soon she'd graduate and finally have the opportunity to see her big brother. The look on his face when he saw her in Yuzu in their Shihakusho's was one she would cherish, of that she had no doubt. Perhaps she'd even be in his squad. The old man with the striped hat and clogs had sworn Yuzu and herself to secrecy. Only her father and those at the Academy knew of the presence of the Kurosaki twins in the Soul Society. Karin wasn't sure if the shopkeeper merely had the intention of surprising her brother or had an ulterrior motive for sending the girls. Either way, it worked to Karins benefit, and she would keep a wary eye on old hat and clogs.

Karin brought her focus to the task before her. Her classmates surrounded her, cheering her on as the instructor signaled for the match to begin. Karin eyed her opponent suspiciously, Zanpakutou in hand. Her swordplay was novice at best, nothing when compared to her sisters natural abilities, but she held the blade firmly all the same. One of the first things one learned at the academy was that the Zanpakutou is sacred. To drop your blade was to admit defeat and was among the highest forms of humiliation.

Karin rushed forward, slashing her blade clumsily. Her opponent was a dark haired boy who looked to be of an age with her, but in this place it was impossible to be certain. He brought his sword up just in time to deflect the blow. The blades rang out in a clash of steel. The boy shifted his weight forward and used his superior strength to push her back. Karin didn't resist, instead she leapt back, careful not to step outside of the training circle.

In the Academy sparring was commonplace. Matches took place in arenas approximately fifteen feet from one side to the other in all directions. Within the circle there were three ways to defeat an opponent. The first was to force the enemy to yield. Secondly, victory could be achieved by causing one of the competitors to leave the training circle. Finally, to disarm an opponent would mean triumph, and was the most difficult and highly regarded form of success.

Karin placed herself just inside the circle and braced herself for the attack she knew was coming. "Haaaiiiiiiiii!" the boy yelled as he came rushing forward. He had his arms fully extended, his sword extended high above his head. Karin knew he meant to bring the sword down with enough might to force her back and out of the training circle. He was coming on fast, impact was imminent. Karin timed her actions perfectly. He slashed his sword in a perfect, powerful, vertical movement. Karin stepped to her left. The blade went whistling past her so close that she could feel the air rushing out from under the Zanpakutou.

In his rush for victory, the boy placed all of his focus on the strike and left his stance unbalanced and his footing vulnerable. Karin pivoted on her left foot and kicked the boy behind his left knee with her right. Years of soccer practice bestowed her with precision and power, the boys feet fell out from under him just like she knew they would. He somehow managed to land on his knees barely within the borders of the circle. With a forceful shove the raven haired Kurosaki girl had him flat on his belly, out of bounds.

Cheers erupted around her as the instructor congratulated her on her victory. Yuzu may have been the most proficient with Zanjutsu, or the Shinigami art of swordsmanship, but Karin was the most cunning. The two were ranked first and second in their graduating class, with Yuzu claiming the top spot. As Karin left the circle, she helped her classmate to his feet and shook his hand with a smile.

As the rest of the class sparred, Karin stood in the back eyeing her competition. Every student in the Academy's graduating class had to meet three requirements before being adopted into the Gotei 13. Initially a written exam must be passed, then came a journey to the world of the living where Hollow were to be exterminated. Finally there was a tournament. Those who ranked highly in the tournaments were in the highest demand in the 13 Court Guard Squads, a lucky few even receiving the high honor of being entered into an officers seated position.

Yuzu was her primary concern, although she wasn't by any means the only competent fighter in her class. There were a great many scrappy competitors, including a man from one of the Four Noble Houses. Many would be tough to beat, but Karin had a few tricks up her sleeve. Primary among them was her proficiency with Kido. She recieved top marks in all of her classes (except Zunjutsu...) as did her sister, but while Yuzu was prodigious with a Zanpakutou, spells spoke to Karin. She took care not to showcase her prowess, the less her competiton knew of where her true power lied, the better for her. Additionally, Karin was awkward and gawky in comparison to her twin who took after their mother, but her background in sports gave her an edge in combat.

Karin studied the many battles taking place before her, taking a keen focus on those she deemed the fiercest fighters. She took note of the stances, some of which were strange and exotic, though the staple form was Kendo. Karin observed the combatants who focused on power, and those who put an emphasis on speed and evasion. She gazed upon the boldest attackers and those who prefered to counterattack at the opportune moment.

All around her one-third of her class spectated, battled, cheered, and jeered. Upon arrival into the Seireitei Karin and Yuzu were herded into the Academy's great hall with all of the other fresh recruits. Once everyone was seated and settled, the director of the Academy gave a long boring speech, then a preliminary examination was given. Afterwards every student had their spiritual pressure measured, then a final test to ascertain skill with a blade. Karin and Yuzu both scored high marks on the exam, between their experience with Shinigami and Hollow, and the shopkeepers coaching, the test was a breeze for both of the girls. Karin had the highest spiritual pressure of the group, though her ability with the Zanpakutou was found to be subpar. Oddly the opposite was true for her sister. Everyone praised her natural ability with the katana, but her spiritual pressure was average. Karin wasn't sure if it was due to their scores, or the shopkeepers influence, or the prestiege of her brother and father, but somehow the twins were fast tracked to the graduating class, and only required six months of intensive schooling before being released into the Gotei 13.

The class was broken into three companies. Karin was placed in the first, and Yuzu in the third. During the day the two never crossed paths, but they saw each other most every night. Karin wondered how her sister was handling being away from home. Karin herself missed her father more than she expected, she'd never been away from him for more than a few days. Yuzu was much closer to the man, and the distance had to be that much harder on her. Neither had seen their brother in months, and though both had made friends at the Academy, surely Yuzu was homesick. The girl appeared to be alright, she had always made friends easily and she was excelling in her schooling, but deep, beneath the surface, Karin sensed a sadness that wasn't there before. Karin knew in her heart that this was where she was always meant to be. Could Yuzu say the same? Karin was uncertain.

Class was dismissed and the students were released to their dorms. Karin found herself in her room sitting cross-legged on her bed with her Zanpakutou resting in her lap. Her roommate a quiet, serious girl was dozing on her own bed snoring softly. Karin stared down at her sword. She had been told that powerful Shinigami could communicate with their Zanpakutou. She could see her reflection in the lightly polished surace, but that was all. Were the secrets to its power locked within the blade, or Karin herself. The Zanpakutou was silent, the only answer to her unspoken question was the soft snoring that penetrated the still air of the dormroom. Karin pondered the question.

**A/N: I just want to point out that the blue lines under the spell check that idicate simpler words should be used are ridiculous. I'm going to assume that anyone on a fanfiction site, reading a fic about a manga is literate. Often i come across words that I'm unfamiliar with, but that's what context clues and a dictionary are for. ahem, moving on. This one's a little short. I just wanted to give some insight into what the twins have been up to as they will come to the forefront of the story from this point on. I thought it would be fun to reverse the roles a little and make Karin proficient in Kido and a clumsy swordsman, while make timid little Yuzu a natural with a blade in hand. As i said before i've changed the format a little bit, so hence forth the perspective of each chapter will be that of only one character. The first ten chapters were fairly straight forward, but i plan on making this a much broader fic, and communication between characters will not always be immediate. Questions, comments, rants or raves, i welcome them all. Please review if you liked. ; )**


	13. Chapter 13

**Worlds Collide Chapter 13**

The howling wind woke Orihime from her slumber. She stirred, her naked body untangling carefully from her lovers. He didn't move, his breathing remained deep, even, and steady. She left the covers behind with the Espada and walked across the room nude, the stone floor chilling her bare feet as she went. The two had been sharing his room for months now. Three walls were crafted of stone as was the rest of the castle, but the fourth wall was missing, it gave way to a balcony overlooking the desert. She gazed out at the dunes below.

Every night a crescent moon hung high in the sky, this night was no different. The dunes were swirling up bits of sand in the wind the way that it might have stirred leaves where she was from. Here and there Hollow could be seen roaming the desert. This high up Orihime was safe from both sand and Hollow, though she feared neither. The wind picked up and Orihime wrapped her arms around her ample chest to try and stave off the cold. She turned and went back inside.

When Orihime had first arrived she'd been given her own quarters, but between the chill and the loneliness, she found herself outside Ulquiorra's room one night. He let her in and the two talked for a while, then he was kissing her, and before she knew it she'd lost herself in his mouth and in his arms. He took her that night, but more importantly she surrendered herself to him. He was her first and only. That seemed like ages ago now, but in truth it had only been five months. She'd spent every night with him since.

Two braziers were burning in the room at all times to help drive off the chill that dominated the air in the castle. The first night she'd spent here, the room was only furnished with the braziers, a writing desk, and a massive bed. Throughout her stay, the Primera Espada slowly decorated the room, presumably for her. A fur rug appeared on the floor one day, another day an intricate tapestry depicting a faceless Arrancar all in white and a faceless Shinigami all in black appeared on one of the walls. Endtables with exotic flowers from both the Soul Society and the world of the living, placed in exquisite vases of varying size, shape, and color popped up where only stone floor had been the day before. He had taken his room and made it their room.

Ulquiorra Schiffer, the Primera Espada had never once spoken to Orihime about his feelings for her. Instead he showed his affection through his deeds and the occasional gift. Even behind closed doors he was as tight lipped as ever. When they made love, he was silent, but for a grunt here or a sigh there. Orihime had given up on getting him to open up to her, the man was who he was. He was like no one else she had ever met before, maybe that was part of the attraction. He was definitely nothing like Ichigo Kurosake, the only other man she cared for.

Orihime walked across the stone floor, crossing over the fur rug and stood over the bed looking down at Ulquiorra. His face was serious even in slumber, though for once he wasn't scowling. There was no trace of his emerald orbs, beneath his bone white lids. Just beneath his eyes, long vertical black markings feel like ebony tears. His cheekbones were high, and his jaw was strong. He had a striking face, handsome and slightly melancholy. Even without those jade pools of sorrow penetrating her very soul, she could see the sadness in his face, as though it had been carved there by whatever gods watched over Hueco Mundo.

Orihime had never given much thought to faith, but if there were gods in the world of the living, the gods here were of a much darker variety. When walking through the desert Orihime often watched the interactions between Hollow. Countless beasts of varying size and form roamed, all trying to devour one another. Such was the way of this world. Among the Arrancar it was much the same. Yes, there was art and culture and principle, but beneath all of that there was malice and the urge to dominate, to destroy. Since Ichigo had defeated Kayko almost six months ago, several score of Arrancar resurfaced and had taken up residence in Las Noches. Orihime found those with Nelliel's gentle nature to be few and far between. The Arrancar fought as they drew breath, endlessly and in quick succession.

Ulquiorra, Nelliel, and Grimmjow maintained order with an iron fist, and the Arrancar lived in fear and wonder of the Espada. As the days and weeks and months went by, there were fewer and fewer incidents in the castle. Slowly but surely the occupants of the castle were becoming an army. The fortress held only a shadow of the power it maintained when she was a prisoner here, but in six months, or a year, it could be even stronger, or so Grimmjow claimed. All the Tres Espada ever cared about was the military might of the fortress. Nelliel was placed in charge of all civil and social duties in the castle, paramount among them were law and order. Ulquiorra, as the Primera, was the King of the Castle so to speak.

Orihime was given responsibility over relations with the Soul Society. At the suggestion of Ichigo Kurosake, and with the blessing of the newly appointed Captain-Commander Retsu Unohana, one captain level Shinigami was present in the fortress at all times. The idea was to stregnthen the bonds between the two peoples and shatter any illusions one race presumed of the other. Some Captains refused to come and many Arrancar held those who did in contempt, but for all of the initial tension there had never once been an incident.

The human girl stepped away from the bed and made her way to a table Ulquiorra had gotten for her. She sat at the table and began brushing her hair. Propped up against and built into the tabletop was a mirror. Orihime stared into her reflection as she brushed away the knots and tangles she'd acquired throughout a night of sleep and lovemaking. She brushed until her hair was straight and smooth and luxurious, then she put in her hairclips. Before long Orihime found herself fully dressed and staring at her reflections in satisfaction.

She took her breakfast in a private dining room reserved for the Espada and their esteemed guests. Captain Shunsui Kyoraku sat at the table oddly quiet and conspicuously dressed in a pink kimono and a straw hat, as was his custom. He looked up when Orihime walked in. "Orihime!" he called out a little too loudly. "Come sit beside me!" his speech slurred slightly. Nanao, Shunsui's Vice-Captain had warned her of this. He was already drinking and it was relatively early in the morning. Orihime flinched as he took a swig of sake.

"Should you be drinking this early Captain Kyoraku?" she tried to keep the meekness from her voice as she asked. His cheeks flushed bright red and he smiled sheepishly at the query.

"New surroundings make me uneasy. A drink or two helps calm my nerves."

"Captain, you've been here on three separate occasions now..." she stated hesitantly. "Lieutenant Nanao thinks that you just enjoy getting away from her."

"You can call me Shunsui, Orihime. Nanao's not wrong. I do love my visits to Hueco Mundo, but it's not to get away from her. I'm fascinated by the Arrancar, and it's always lively when court is held." He wasn't wrong about that. Orihime always felt a little out of place in court. It was her responsibility to attend to the Shinigami who was present, but she was a mere spectator in most other regards. Orihime and whichever Captain were rarely called upon in court though their opinions were always welcomed by the Espada. Court was to be held shortly after breakfast.

"That's true Captain." she conceded.

"Call me Shunsui. Why don't you have a drink with me Orihime?"

"No thank you Captain." Orihime and the Captain continued to converse through the course of their breakfast.

Shortly thereafter she found herself in Kayko's old throne room, which Aizen held before her. Several more seats had been added but the throne was still the tallest and most grand among them. Ulquiorra sat upon that massive seat and Orihime couldn't help but wonder if someone so small had ever looked so imposing before. Orihime and Captain Kyoraku were seated to the Primera's left, while Nel and Grimmjow took their places to his right. The Arrancar gathered in the room chattered amongst themselves, awaiting the proceedings. Ulquiorra murmured something to Nel.

The Segundo Espada rose. At the very sight of the blue-haired woman on her feet, the hall hushed. "Order." she called out habitually though unnecessarily. "Court is now in session. Bring your claims and grievances forward in an orderly fashion and hear the decree of the Espada." she took her seat.

The very first Arrancar came forward, a tall thin man with fiery red hair. At his side stood a beautiful woman with honey blonde hair and large deep brown eyes. It was impossible not to notice that she was with child, and if looks were any indication she was not far from her due date. The two approached the throne and stopped where the long crimson carpet that they walked upon ended. The man fell to one knee and addressed the court.

"I am Kenji Kabota, this is my wife Miyuki. We humbly ask that Ulquiorra Schiffer, the Primera Espada name our child." Kenji and Miyuki were famous among the people of Las Noches. The Arrancar were manufactured by Sosuke Aizen, and not all that long ago. Their fertility had been in question as the Espada tried to rebuild their shattered civilization, and they were an endangered species. With so few Arrancar to begin with, and in the wake of the Winter War, Ulquiorra estimated their numbers counted less than one-hundred, the vast majority of them residing within the castle. Miyuke's unborn child was the first Arrancar brought into the world through natural means. The child represented the first of many rays of light at the end of a long dark tunnel for the race.

"If the child is a girl, I would have you call her Hope." Ulquiorra's soft voice somehow carried through the great hall. "If you have a boy, call him Ichigo, for Ichigo Kurosake, part man, part Hollow, and part Shinigami, savior of all three." He sounded bored as he said the words, but Orihime knew that this child meant everything to him, and so long as he drew breath would want for nothing. Kenji rose, said his thanks, and helped his wife back across the long hall.

The next claimant came forward, then the one after, and so on and so on. Some requests were tedious, some were grave, some were settled swiftly, and others took long periods of time for the court to reach a decision, occasionally requiring Ulquiorra to overrule his fellows. Occasionally Orihime and Captain Kyoraku were consulted, but most of the matters were resolved amongst the Espada. The line shuffled forward.

The next claimant came forward. He was a stocky man of average height, with dark hair and eyes. Even through his clothes it could be seen that his body was heavily muscled. He knelt before the court, as did all of those that came before him.

"I am Yoshi Yamada, and I am here to request a duel to the death. As all know, spilling Arrancar blood within sight of Las Noches is strictly forbidden, so I come before you now to request that you my dispute be settled in mortal combat."

"What is your dispute?" Nel asked, her voice level. Orihime knew that the request would be denied. Killing another Arrancar was the most heinous act one could commit given the current state of the species. Nelliel was obligated to hear the man out, but the answer was no.

"My woman, Yumiko has forsaken me and taken another man. I would have his head, and take her back home with me where she belongs." Nels expression hardened at the word "woman". Orihime knew what was going through her mind. He was speaking of this woman as though she were his property. This was not an uncommon occurence amongst the Arrancar, the men were more oft than not more powerful than the woman and were treated like chattel. Orihime and Nelliel had banded together to work on the issue, but it was still a work in progress.

"Womens hearts are fickle things," Captain Kyoraku stated idly. " I would not presume to speak of them, nor should any man." He took a long swig from his sake and adjusted his straw hat.

"Well said Captain," Ulquiorra replied monotonously. "Orihime, you have a womans heart, I'll leave this matter in your hands." Orihime was no longer the timid little girl that she had been when she'd begun the long journey that led her to where she currently sat. She owed a large part of her newfound boldness and courage to the Espada, nevertheless she felt very small sitting in her chair at that particular moment. She'd lived with the Espada for months now, but she still felt like an outsider, and many still viewed her as such she knew. This was the most power that the Espada had ever given her. She would have to speak carefully, but boldly.

"Is Yumiko here now?" Orihime asked Yoshi, ensuring her voice was firm and carried through the hall. He looked at her with disgust and didn't deign to answer.

"I am my lady." A slender Arrancar with mossy green hair approached the court and knelt beside Yoshi.

"Are you a slave or a free woman Yumiko?"

"I am a free woman my lady."

"Does this man have your hand in marriage? Does he have any right to decide your actions or inactions?" she gestured towards Yoshi.

"He does not my lady." It was clear from her tone that she had much more to say on the matter, but she held her tongue. That tone confirmed Orihime's suspicions of just what kind of man Yoshi was.

"Thank you Yumiko. Yoshi Yamada, your request to engage in combat with Yumiko's consort is denied and violence against a fellow Arrancar is as ever an offense punishable by death. Additionally you are to remain one-hundred feet away from Yumiko at all times. You will not speak to her nor will you look at her." Orihime watched the mans face carefully as she spoke, and it seemed to grow a darker shade of red with every word. He ground his teeth and a vein was bulging out of his forehead.

"Next case!" Nelliel called aloud. Yoshi rose to his feet, his hands were clenched into fists at his side. He spat, a fat glob of saliva sailed through the air towards Orihime, it hit the floor several feet short of her.

"I came to speak with the Espada, not some stupid human whore!" The hall was silent, the only sound was the word whore echoing through the great hall. Captain Kyoraku placed a hand on his Zanpakuto. Orihime appreciated the Captain's chivalry, but the sentiment was unnecessary. He moved so fast that Orihime's eyes couldn't track him. One moment Ulquiorra Schiffer, the Primera Espada was in his seat, the next he was mere inches away from Yoshi.

It was over before Yoshi could even perceive what was happening. The Zanpakuto flashed, then there was a vibrant spray of blood. Yumiko scrambled to get out of the way, but her white clothes were spattered with blood. There was another flash, and more blood spurted from the Arrancar. Yoshi fell to his knees, screaming in agony, both arms severed at the shoulder flopped about erratically on the carpet.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me tell the lady to rule on your case." his words were slow and crisp, his voice melancholic. "Or perhaps you have forgotten who I am, or perhaps you fancy yourself untouchable, the logic behind your folly is of no concern to me. You will apologize to the lady." Yoshi fought back a scream of pain. He gritted his teeth, blood leaking through the crevices, painting his smile red. He looked up at Ulquiorra defiantly.

"I'd rather die!" he spat.

"And so you shall." he backhanded the armless Arrancar hard enough to put him on his back. The crimson carpet had turned a deeper shade of red from Yoshi's blood, which still flowed heavily from his wounds. His landing was accompanied by a soft _squish._ Ulquiorra turned from his adversary. His deep emerald eyes locked with Orihime's. He fell to one knee, his white pants accumulating even more blood than they already had. In one crisp movement he lifted his Zanpakuto with both hands by the flat of the blade, the hilt extended towards Orihime.

Seconds flew by and Orihime's heart dropped as she realized what he was doing. He expected her to kill the man. Orihime had killed in battle before, but never anything like this. All eyes were on her she knew, but her gaze was still stuck on her lover. He wanted her to kill this man in cold blood for her honor. He wanted her to prove herself in full view of the court. Doubt gnawed away at her stomach. Could she murder a man just for spitting in her general direction and calling her a whore?

Orihime rose to her feet. In that moment, she knew she had chosen the path that she would walk for the rest of her days. All ambivalence was washed away as she began to descend the small flight of steps that separated the council from the court. Before she knew it, she was in front of Ulquiorra. She grabbed the sword by the hilt. It was still warm from where his hands had held it. It was heavier than she had thought it would be, he wielded it with such grace, but the katana felt clumsy in her hand. She approached Yoshi, who was still on his back mewling, and trying to rise without the use of his arms. The hall was silent, but for the pathetic noises he made and the soft squishing of her footfalls on the blood soaked carpet.

Orihime looked over the man. Five minutes ago he seemed so strong, but here he was now, struggling and squirming on the floor, bloody and helpless. She felt sorry for him. He was a misogynistic fool, but his actions didn't merit these consequences. He didn't deserve to die like this. Orihime plunged the blade into his heart. The Zanpakuto slid through him as easily as it would cut through water, almost effortlessly. He yelped as the sword pierced him. Orihime twisted the blade, causing irreparable damage to his heart. His eyes stilled, his squirming stopped. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she pulled the Zanpakuto out. She was one of them now.

**A/N: This was a fun chapter for me to write for a lot of reasons. Orihime has always been one of my most and least favorite characters in Bleach. She's beautiful, she's smart, she's funny, and she's debatabley the most powerful character, but she's also undeniably weak and more often a hinderance then a help. Aizen immediately saw how much power she had at her disposal, but for some strange reason she doesn't. She's been on the sidelines for far too long, so I'm toughening her up, and making her the badass she was born to be. Part of the struggle here is keeping her purity while she's falling deeper and deeper into the world of the Arrancar which is colored in much darker shades than she's accustomed to. Hueco Mundo is home to some of my favorite moments in bleach, so I always like to write about it. It's always depicted beautifully in the anime and manga, and I feel like my words don't do it justice. I love the idea of exploring what happens to the Arrancar in the absence of strong leadership, and how the Espada will shape the world that they have claimed. Can the Arrancar live in peace and harmony, or will chaos always be a part of their nature? If you liked the chapter review, if you didn't like the chapter review and tell me why. Thanks for reading. New Chapter should be up soon. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Yuzu Kurosake had always been good with her hands. Ever since her mother died she'd used her hands to cook, clean, sew, mend wounds, and herd her family from here to there. She'd never once knicked her finger, or burned herself. She could work a needle as well as any homemaker and could treat a wound just as well as her father if not better. The first time she picked up a sword at the Academy it came as no surprise to her that she could handle it as deftly as she could a frying pan.

It was odd having more skill with a sword than her twin. Karin was always bolder, stronger, more outgoing. Yuzu had imagined that Karin would prove the better swordsman of the two, but unfortunately her dark haired, dark eyed twin was not nearly as skilled with a sword as she was with a soccer ball. Yuzu had always envied Karin's strength and freedom, now Karin had cause to envy Yuzu as well.

It was the dead of night and Yuzu found herself in one of the several courtyards at the Academy. The yard was vibrant, bright green grass sprouted beneath her. Flowers of red and yellow and orange bloomed in the bushes. Deep green leaves rustled in the cool spring breeze and the stars were twinkling pearls in the navy ocean of the sky. This place, the Soul Society held so much beauty that sometimes Yuzu would lose her thoughts in it. It was so radically different from home.

For the first few weeks Yuzu had hated it. She'd cried and cried and wished and prayed that she could go back home, but she didn't know the way, and the only thing worse than being separated from her father and friends was the thought of being separated from her twin sister. She'd never been apart from Karin for more than a few hours, and the thought of being away from her was inconceivable. Karin loved it here, and so Yuzu tried her best to do the same. In time, she found that it was growing easier and easier every day.

Yuzu had always been a very social, popular girl, but she'd never experienced the kind of treatment that she had found at the Academy. She was loved instantly by the students, all of whom wanted to know more about the world of the living and her brother. Even Karin had managed to attain popularity here at the Academy, and that was no easy feat. It wasn't even just the students, her professors held her in high regard as well, especially those responsible for her training in Zanjutsu. Slowly, she began to love her life at the Academy, and she thought of home less and less.

Yuzu heard approaching footsteps and turned to see her sister. Karin Kurosake wore a pair of soccer shorts, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Her hair was loose, falling just short of her shoulders. Her face was serious.

"Sister." She called out as a greeting.

"Karin!" Yuzu jumped up from her grassy seat and hugged her sister. They'd just returned from their trek to the world of the living the previous evening. It had been an odd experience for Yuzu. Everyone in her class thought the world of the living was strange and exotic, but to Yuzu it was just home. The training exercise took place outside of Tokyo, where Hollow were plentiful. Yuzu slew the most, cutting down ten Hollow with her blade. She had been afraid at first, but with every kill her confidence grew.

It was odd how Yuzu felt when engaging in combat. Everything occurred naturally; she planned very little and just acted on instinct. It was almost as if her arm followed her sword instead of the other way around. Sometimes at the climax of the battle she could hear strange sounds, sometimes the ocean, other times an ethereal voice mumbling incoherently.

"Are you nervous?" her sister asked her. She was referring to the tournament that was scheduled to take place the next day.

"Anxious, I just want it to be over. I just want to graduate and see brother again and finally be done with all of these classes."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Karin replied. She took a seat in the grass beneath an ancient fir tree. Yuzu sat down beside her. "Sister," Karin said, her voice suddenly serious. "if we should face each other tomorrow, promise me you won't hold back." There was an edge in her eyes, and her tone gave Yuzu pause. Yuzu cared nothing for winning the tournament and her sister knew it. Karin was by far the more competitive of the two.

"I promise." Yuzu said hesitantly. Karin was very proud, and more important to her than winning was earning the victory. If Yuzu were to throw the match for her sisters' benefit, it would wound her deeply.

"Swear it." Karin said. Yuzu picked up her Zanpakuto from where it rested in the grass. She unsheathed the sword carefully and rose to her knees. She held the blade firmly in her right hand and extended her left palm up. In one smooth swipe, she cut her hand shallowly, red blood rushing to the surface of her pale skin. Karin rose to her knees directly across from her sister. She extended her hand, and Yuzu sliced it in the same manner as she did her own. The two wounded hands clasped and Yuzu stared into the eyes of her other half as they swore the blood oath.

"I swear, I'll give it everything I've got."

"You better, or I'll wipe the floor with you." Karin grinned confidently.

The next morning went by in a flash. Yuzu woke early, as she always did. It was odd for her not to have to cook, or clean, or care for anyone other than herself, so she just practiced her swordplay. After an hour or so of drilling herself in the movements her instructors taught her, Yuzu found herself in the cafeteria. She was one of the first students to arrive so she sat alone. It wasn't very long before she was surrounded by friends wishing her good luck and asking what she thought of her competition. She responded modestly, saying that she would do her best.

After breakfast, Yuzu formed up with the rest of her class. One of the instructors was wishing them good luck and reminding the class that scouts from the 13 Court Guard Squads would be present. All morning Yuzu had been feeling calm, sure of her abilities, though she was slightly anxious. Now she felt a rush of excitement. She savored the feeling and couldn't help but wonder if this was how her brother felt before battle.

The matches were to take place in an arena just outside of the Academy. Each of the 92 students would participate in a one on one battle with an opponent chosen at random. The victor would move forward, and the loser would be allowed to spectate. The process would continue this way until there was only one student standing. Yuzu had every intention of being that student.

Yuzu was the thirteenth match, in the time leading up to it she made sure to stay hydrated and searched the crowd for a familiar face. If her brother was present, she couldn't see him, nor could she see Renji or Rukia. The matches were progressing quickly, and before she knew it Yuzu was in the ring. The battle was to take place on a stone floor raised one foot off of the grass below. The field of battle was much larger than the training circles she was accustomed to, but that worked in Yuzu's favor every bit as much as it did for her opponents. Yuzu made her way to the center of the circle where her competitor was waiting for her. She was a tall woman with long flowing hair that looked to be of spun gold. She stood a full head and shoulders over Yuzu. Yuzu bowed before the woman, she returned the courtesy.

A whistle was blown and before Yuzu could even draw her Zanpakuto, the tall woman leapt back, distancing herself from her competitor. Yuzu slowly unsheathed her sword, her eyes never leaving her opponent. The woman stood still, bracing herself for any attack that might be forthcoming. She would be a worthy adversary, Yuzu could tell. She felt a tingling sensation creep up her arm, a small wave of spiritual pressure emanating from her Zanpakuto, as if it was in agreement. The sound of ocean spray tugged at Yuzu's ears and the humid salty scent of ocean air filled her nose.

Yuzu rushed forward, Shunpo augmenting her speed. The woman brought her Zanpakuto up just in time. Steel on steel filled Yuzu's ears, but she hardly heard it over the distant sound of the ocean. The woman countered with a slash, then side-stepped to avoid retaliation. Yuzu deflected the blow easily, moving swiftly to cut off the woman's path. She brought her sword up vertically, but just as the woman brought hers up to block, Yuzu redirected the blow, swiping at the woman's feet. Just in time, the woman leapt backwards. Yuzu followed, slashing relentlessly, pushing her farther and farther back, until she was at the edge of the ring.

When the woman realized she could retreat no further she changed tactics. She began to push back, hacking and hammering at Yuzu. Her face was calm and determined, but her strokes were desperate and frantic. Yuzu stood her ground, deftly blocking and dodging, never allowing the woman even one step from the edge. After a minute or two, the woman's attacks became slower and less precise. Yuzu waited for the right moment to make her move.

The woman brought her sword up high for another slash, this one taking more than twice as long as some of her previous attacks. Quick as she possibly could, Yuzu smacked the woman's sword hand with the flat of her blade. The woman gasped, chocked back a scream and dropped her Zanpakuto. The blade clattered loudly on the stone floor. Yuzu took a step back. The next thing she knew , the referee had her free hand in his and raised it above her head. The crisp soothing sound of the ocean faded from her ears, and was replaced by the roar of the crowd. "Kurosake!" they chanted. Yuzu could feel herself blushing.

Yuzu looked over to the golden-haired woman. She was clearly upset. Dropping one's Zanpakuto was the most humiliating defeat in the arena. It was never Yuzu's intent to embarrass her, she just did what felt natural. Yuzu pulled her hand free from the referee and walked over to the woman. She extended her hand, and the woman cautiously took it.

"It was a good match. You're very skilled." Yuzu said warmly.

"Thank you Yuzu Kurosake. She replied hesitantly. She would never get used to everyone knowing who she was here.

Many of the matches that took place before and after Yuzu's weren't quite as exciting as her own. This was a tournament of students, not experienced Shinigami. Yuzu was sorry that she'd been paired with such a strong opponent so early on. How far would the golden-haired woman have progressed if Yuzu hadn't taken her out so early on? Skill with the sword was a rarity in this arena. Skill with Kido was even rarer.

Yuzu watched her sisters first match earnestly. Karin went charging in, sword waving wildly. Her opponent was no better. They danced around the arena for minutes, neither one of them gaining an advantage. Yuzu noticed her sister was murmuring something. Karin lowered her sword and raised her free hand. Bright blue lightning rocketed out of her fingertips and collided with her opponent. He was knocked out of the arena but the force of the Hado, wisps of smoke rose from his limp body. Yuzu would have to be on guard when she entered the ring with her sister. Kido was not her strong suit, and the only surefire defense against it was Kido with more power.

The matches continued, on and on. Yuzu watched opponent after opponent fall, some by her own blade, and some by her twins. Finally all of the participants had fallen except for the Kurosake twins. Yuzu entered the ring one last time. Her resolve from earlier in the day was failing her now. Could she actually fight her own blood? This was all just a game, she knew, but Karin took it very seriously. The referee whistled. Neither sister moved.

"Sister…" Yuzu called, her voice full of doubt.

"Remember what you swore." Karin said firmly. Yuzu thought back to the tall fir tree and the blood oath she swore beneath it. Yuzu took a moment to swallow her emotion. When she was ready she took a deep breath and gave her sister the slightest of nods. "Come at me with everything you've got." Karin said. Yuzu did.

She ran forward, Zanpakuto held low, the tip inches from the ground. Mere feet away from her twin, Yuzu flash-stepped behind her sister with every ounce of speed she had. She slashed at her twin, but struck only air. Yuzu could neither see nor hear Karin, but instinct told her to move.

"Shakaho!" the cry came from above her. Yuzu had no time to look, she could feel the heat from the fast approaching fireball. She moved swiftly and heard the explosion as the ball of flame collided with the stone floor. When did Karin become so fast? Yuzu had never seen her sister use Shunpo. What other abilities had she been concealing?

Yuzu turned to her sister, taking care to keep her in her sights this time. The familiar scent of ocean air invaded Yuzu's lungs. The sound of distant waves crashing filled her ears. Barely audible was the sound of a woman singing, her voice impossibly high and incredibly alluring. Yuzu could not make out the words.

Karin came rushing in again, her sword slashed high. Yuzu blocked it easily. Just as she was about to counter, Karin kicked her in the chest hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Yuzu leapt back, trying to put some distance between herself and her twin. "Byakurai!" White hot lightning shot towards Yuzu. She was nearly struck by the bolt in mid-air, but she managed to land in a crouch, the bolt soaring just above her head. Yuzu decided it was time to turn the tables.

Karin came rushing in yet again. The song grew louder in Yuzu's ears. The words were crisp and clear now, though they were in a language Yuzu did not understand. Karin struck high again, this time Yuzu ducked under the blade. She swiped low with her own. Yuzu quickly lunged forward, stabbing with her Zanpakuto. Karin dodged, but the blade knicked her cheek. Blood rushed out and covered the left side of Karin's face though the cut was shallow. The voice grew louder still, high and beautiful and inhuman.

"Shakkaho!" Karin yelled, she came dashing in. Yuzu side-stepped the ball of fire and deflected Karin's blow. Yuzu shoved Karin's sword out wide with her own, then moved in close, bringing the point of her blade just beneath her sisters chin. Karin leaned back, out of the way of the sword and shoved her sister with her free hand. Yuzu stumbled backwards, but kept on her feet.

"Shitotsu Sansen!" Karin yelled. Yuzu barely had time to look up as the spell hurtled toward her. Three beams of light crashed into Yuzu, knocking her onto her back, one beam pinned each arm and the third pressed against her stomach. It was all she could do to hold onto her sword. She tried to move out from under the beams, but her efforts were fruitless. For many moments Yuzu laid there pinned beneath the Bakudo, staring at the sky above. Karin's labored breathing could hardly be heard over the swelling song in Yuzu's head. The voice reached a crescendo as the song climaxed. Yuzu stared up at the clouds, defeat imminent, though in truth it didn't feel like defeat. She blinked.

When Yuzu opened her eyes the sky and clouds were gone. In their stead was a deep blue, much too dark to be the afternoon sky. Yuzu took a deep breath and her mouth filled with salty ocean water. She panicked, tossed and turned. Her body seemed heavy and sluggish, hardly moving at all despite her efforts to climb upwards to the surface that was too far away to be seen.

"Calm yourself." It was the same voice as before, only now Yuzu understood what was being said. A woman came forward through the gloom, gliding gracefully through the water whereas Yuzu was thrashing in the depths. "Breathe." Her presence calmed Yuzu, something about her was reassuring. The woman had long, wavy brown hair that reminded Yuzu of her mothers. Her face however was nothing like that of Yuzu's mother though. It was every bit as beautiful, but it was hard and solemn, Masaki Kurosaki had always had a warm and loving face. The beautiful brown locks moved with the current and flowed off to one side, exposing an ample bosom. Her bare skin extended down to just beneath her naval, where scales began to form. She was covered in scales on the lower half of her body. Where legs belonged, Yuzu saw a tail with a wide translucent fin at the base.

Yuzu opened her moth again, and it filled with water again, but somehow this time her lungs filled with oxygen. "Who are you?" Yuzu asked.

"You know who I am." The woman said, her voice high and beautiful. "The question you should be asking is 'what is my name?'." Her eyes locked with Yuzu's and the girl knew at once that the woman was right.

"You're my Zanpakuto." The woman nodded somberly.

"What is your name?"

"I am Ma-Meido." The name resonated with strength. "Go now and call upon my power."

Yuzu blinked, and when she opened her eyes, the clouds were above her once again. She could hear her sister's approach, her breathing labored.

"Ma-Meido." Yuzu cried. There was a massive release of spiritual pressure. For a moment Yuzu felt as though she was caught in a whirlpool. She was soaked head to toe, she was being pulled this way and that by a crippling current, and then she was standing before her sister. Yuzu was dripping wet, staring her sister in the eye. In her swordhand was a golden trident, where the three prongs on the tip met the rod portion of the weapon was the intricately crafted face of a solemn woman.

"What is this?" Karin asked, disbelief in her voice.

"This is Shikai." Yuzu replied.

"You weren't kidding when you said you'd give it your all…" Karin hesitated, then she raised her sword. "Ready?"

"On three." Yuzu said. "One…"

"Two…" Karin called out.

"Three!"

"Three!" they called out simultaneously. Yuzu dashed toward her twin. She brought the tips of the trident down low and brought them up in a broad upward slash at her sister. Karin brought her sword down to meet the trident. The blades rang out as the clashed. Karin was the stronger of the two, but the length of Yuzu's Shikai gave her leverage. Yuzu put all of her strength into the clash, and succeeded in knocking her sister to the ground. The sound of Karin's katana clattering on the stone floor filled Yuzu's ears. Her sister lay on the ground, unmoving. The next thing she knew Yuzu's hand was in the air, held there by the referee. She was being bombarded by a cacophony of cheers. She was the champion.

**A/N: It's come to my attention that i've lost track of my smutty beginnings. A lot of my more recent chapters have little to nothing to do with Ichigo and Renji's relationship, and most of the other characters are straight in the fic. : / The next chapter is going to be from Renji's POV, so i'll be sure and give you all a little something ; ). Most of the chapters are going to be from Ichigo, Renji, Orihime, or the twins POV, so there's not a lot of room for smut, but in the chapters to come expect more pairings, more death, new life, betrayal and more. thanks for reading, plz let me know what you think. **


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